Hummingbird Cupcakes with Cream Cheese-Maple Frosting and Praline Topper

Straight from the South comes hummingbird cupcakes: spiced mini-cakes made with banana, coconut, pecans, and crushed pineapple, with maple-cream cheese frosting and a praline topper.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 60 mins
• Calories: 547 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons corn syrup
• 8 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1 cup softened butter
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 cups mashed ripe bananas
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 2 (4 ounce) containers Greek cream cheese, softened
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 0.75 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1.5 cups white sugar
• 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 0.5 cup drained crushed pineapple
• 1.5 cups packed dark brown sugar

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 30 muffin tin cups with paper liners.

Step 2

Cream 2 cups sugar, 1 cup butter, eggs, and vanilla extract together in a bowl. Combine mashed bananas and pineapple in a separate bowl. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a separate bowl.

Step 3

Add flour mixture and banana mixture to the bowl with the butter mixture in alternating additions, mixing well after each. Stir in coconut and pecans. Fill lined muffin tin cups 2/3 full with batter.

Step 4

Bake in the preheated oven until a cupcake top bounces back when pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 5

Heat 1 1/2 cups white sugar, dark brown sugar, milk, corn syrup, 2 tablespoons butter, and salt in a heavy saucepan over medium heat to a soft-ball candy thermometer reading of 235 degrees F (112 degrees C). Remove from heat and add vanilla extract. Scoop caramel mixture onto a sheet of waxed paper while still warm. Add pecans while still warm and allow praline topping to cool before handling further.

Step 6

Add frosting to the tops of the cooled cupcakes and top with praline topping.

Step 7

Combine cream cheese, 1 cup butter, and maple syrup together in a bowl, scraping the sides down with a spatula. Add confectioners' sugar slowly until frosting is well mixed.