Dangerous Man Chocolate and Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes

You like the ol’ Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, right? Unless you have an allergy, of course you do! And you like peanut butter and banana sandwiches, Elvis? Of course you do.Lately, I’ve featured a lot of appetizers, entrees and the like. Let’s get a dessert on the menu. Grab a pair of growlers from Dangerous Man and get baked. Ummm, I mean start baking…

Ingredients

Banana Cupcakes

• • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup pure cane white sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (2-3 bananas)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, also at room temperature
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Chocolate Milk Stout and Peanut Butter Porter Ganache

• • 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Dangerous Man Chocolate Milk Stout
  • 1/2 cup Dangerous Man Peanut Butter Porter
  • 1 cup heavy cream
    

Coffee and Ganache Buttercream Frosting

• • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 2 T. cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup stout/porter ganache
  • 2 T. very strong coffee, room temperature

Directions

Banana Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy. Mix in eggs, mashed banana, and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Add in milk and the remaining ingredients, alternating between wet and dry. Stir just until combined. Spoon into prepared cupcake tin and bake for 12-15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set on a wire rack to cool. After they’ve cooled, cut a little hole in the top of each one for the filling.

Chocolate Stout and Peanut Butter Porter Ganache

Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and set aside. In a large saucepan, heat beers and cream until just before boiling, stirring constantly. Pour hot cream/beer over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate mixture for approximately 2 hours, stirring occasionally. You’re looking for the consistency of thick frosting. While the ganache is cooling drink beer. Fill your cupcakes with the ganache. If you don’t have a piping bag to squeeze the ganache into the cupcake holes, put the mixture in a heavy duty ‘Ziplock’ type bag, and cut off one of the corners. (A great kitchen hack to remember for the future!) You’ll save some ganache for the frosting, and there will be a bunch leftover that you’ll want to spread on pancakes, toast, your spouse or loved one. You can also use some to dollop on the top of the finished cupcakes. Just microwave it for a bit to thin it out.

Buttercream and Ganache Frosting

Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar and salt until thoroughly combined. Stir in ganache and coffee. Beat until well-combined. Frost the cupcakes. Serve with half and half pours of Milk Chocolate Stout and Peanut Butter Porter. Damn. Now that’s a dessert course!