Banana Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups + 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup mashed over-ripe bananas
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• Nutella Buttercream Frosting, recipe follows, if you want it piled high like pictured do 1 1/2 the recipe
• Chopped, toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped chocolate or sprinkles, optional

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds, then put the bowl aside. Mash the bananas with the lemon juice in a separate bowl and set that aside too.
2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, 1 Tbsp vegetable oil, granulated sugar and brown sugar until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp vegetable oil and mix it in. Beat in the egg, then add the egg white and vanilla and blend again. Mix in the mashed banana mixture.
3. Turn the mixer to low. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/2 of the buttermilk, continuing in three separate batches and mixing only until each addition disappears into the batter. Portion the batter into 14 – 15 paper lined muffin cups, filling each one 2/3 full.
4. Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick poked into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean, about 18 – 22 minutes. Let the cupcakes sit in the muffin tin for several minutes, then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
5. Frost the cooled cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream Frosting, and add sprinkles or chopped, toasted hazelnuts if you’d like. Store them in an airtight container.