Banana Cupcakes

This recipe is a repost from years ago. Each time it is served everyone comments about the moistness and lightness of the bread. From time to time I make it into a 9×13 cake or cupcakes and add chocolate frosting or cream cheese frosting. Because the kids are coming over tonight, I choose chocolate and I added mini chocolate chips to the batter. A little enticement to be sure they come back often. The recipe was given to me from a neighbor when living in Corpus Christi years ago in the 70’s. She was my wonderful neighbor from New York and very Italian. So many of the recipes that are still my favorite came from Cam Parsley. She was a wonderful cook and a wonderful friend. It is also included in the recipes in Princess On The Porch which is available from the chocolate castles blog site.

2 sticks of softened butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
2 cups flour
1 teas baking soda
4 tables buttermilk
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 teas vanilla
1 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.
Cream butter and sugar until well blended. Add eggs and beat for 2 minutes. This assures that the sugar is well dissolved.
Mix the flour and baking soda and stir together. Add to sugar-butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Mix well. Add mashed bananas and vanilla and mix well. If adding pecans, do so now, stirring just until blended. Pour into either 2 9″ round greased and floured cake pans, 2 greased loaf pans or into cupcake liners. Bake until bread just test done. Do not over back as you want a moist cake/bread. When cooled, either leave as just bread to use with jam and butter (yes more butter) or frost with chocolate or cream cheese frosting.