Sundae Cupcakes

A dessert that looks like another dessert? Yes, please!

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SUNDAE CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS:

Cupcakes:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 ounces chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 banana, chopped
• 1/4 cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped

Frosting:

• 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) butter, room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 2/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 2 graham crackers

Chocolate Shell:

• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. coconut oil

Decorations, optional:

• Sprinkles
• Cherries

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and the chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds.
3. Blend the sugar and the eggs in a mixer until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour the chocolate mixture onto the sugar/eggs and blend until smooth again. Add the banana and peanuts.
4. Fill each muffin cup approx. 3/4 full. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops of the cupcakes bounce back slightly when pressed.
5. While the cupcakes are cooling, it's time to make the frosting. In a mixer, beat the 2 1/2 sticks butter and the powdered sugar until it's light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and milk.
6. Toss the graham crackers into the mixer and stir until the graham crackers have broken into pieces.
7. After the cupcakes are cooled, pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Store in the refrigerator until the frosting sets up.
8. While the cupcakes are in the fridge, it's time to make the chocolate shell. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds (like you did for the butter and chocolate before).
9. Pour the chocolate shell into a 1-cup measuring cup and allow to cool.
10. After the cupcakes are cold and the chocolate is cool, dunk the top of each cupcake into the chocolate shell. Carefully let the extra chocolate drip off, then move each cupcake to a baking sheet. Decorate with sprinkles and/or cherries.
11. Store the cupcakes in the refrigerator until the chocolate shell hardens. 

This recipe is adapted from Food Network.

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