Banana Chocolate Cupcakes

So today is my friend Mike's 22nd birthday (little baby, aww) and since he doesn't get the opportunity to have much of my baked goods, for whatever reason, I made cupcakes especially for the occasion. I gave him two choices and he decided to go with Banana Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting. I found the recipe on Tidy Mom but I used my own recipe for the frosting because, to be honest, I haven't been able to master the whole egg white thing and it frustrates me completely.

Banana Chocolate Cupcakes:
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with cupcake liners. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt until combined. In another bowl, mix egg, banana, water, milk, canola oil and vanilla extract until completely mixed. Whisk together wet and dry ingredients.

Scoop batter into cupcake liners until 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes and cool completely.

Peanut Butter Buttercream:
1 1/3 cups creamy peanut butter
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Cream peanut butter and butter in a bowl with an electric mixer on high speed. Once mixed, add the sugar on low speed until combined and then mix on high until fluffy and smooth. Put frosting in pastry bag and frost cupcakes immediately.

I topped these delicious treats with a mini Nutter Butter cookie (my favorite cookie as a child) and they are absolutely picture perfect. I can't wait to give him these tonight when we celebrate his birthday with everyone. My boyfriend wanted one last night, but I told him he'd have to wait until Mike gets one!