Ingredients
for the cupcakes
2 cups cake flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups sugar
Zest of 1 lime (or 2-3 key limes)
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
for the banana cream
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 cups milk
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ounces (1/2 stick) butter
3 medium bananas, sliced
for the topping
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon banana extract (if you can’t find banana, just use vanilla)
Banana chips to garnish (optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.
To make the cupcakes, combine the cake flour, graham crackers baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together and set aside. Add the butter to the workbowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light and creamy in color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for one more minute. Add the sugar to the butter mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. Mix in the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Combine the buttermilk and the vanilla and coconut extracts in a liquid measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer.
Divide the batter between the prepared paper liners, filling each about 2/3 of the way full. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
While your cupcakes are cooling, make your banana cream. Mix together sugar and cornstarch and slowly add milk. This should be cooked in the top of a double boiler, but you can cook it over low to medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens–do not leave it unattended. Slightly beat egg yolks and temper with a small amount of the hot custard; stir well. Add egg mixture to custard pot and cook 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter. Let cool.
To assemble the cupcakes, use the cone method to make a well in the center of each cupcake. Discard the cones. Fill each well with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the banana cream curd. To make the whipped cream, combine the heavy cream, salt and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Blend in the banana extract. Transfer the whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip. Pipe a rim of whipped cream around the top of each cupcake. Garnish with banana chips slices if desired.
