Banana Peanut Butter Cupcakes aka "The Vegetarian Elvis"

I make a lot of cupcakes. I love exciting flavor combinations. However, I get a lot of requests for chocolate peanut butter cupcakes. While I love this flavor combination, it can get boring. So when my friend Wendy requested banana cupcakes for her birthday, I was excited to make something different. I decided to top them with peanut butter (think of an Elvis without the bacon: "The Vegetarian Elvis") and drizzle melted chocolate over the tops. This combination was amazing!

Banana Cupcakes

Source: slightly adapted from Martha Stewart

1 and 1/2 cups flour (spooned and leveled)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter (melted and slightly cooled)
1 and 1/2 cups mashed bananas (I used 2.5 large ripe bananas.)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, mix together melted butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Make a well in center of flour mixture and pour in banana mixture. Using hands, incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix). Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full, and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. (Mine baked in 20 minutes, so watch them!). Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Salted Peanut Butter Icing
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 stick butter (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon regular salt)
2–3 cups powdered sugar
2–3 tablespoons milk

Beat together peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth with a mixer on medium speed. With mixer on low speed, add powdered sugar one cup at a time and milk one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Add more milk or powdered sugar if needed. Beat until smooth and fluffy.