Recipe: Banana-Chocolate-Cherry Cupcakes

Banana-Chocolate-Cherry Cupcakes
Source: One-Pot Cakes by Andrew Schloss with Ken Bookman
Makes 12 cupcakes

Cupcakes:
Vegetable cooking spray .
3 ripe bananas, peeled, mashed
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or white chocolate)

Glaze:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or white chocolate)

To prepare the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup standard muffin tin with vegetable cooking spray, or line with cupcake liners.

In a large heavy saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Remove from the heat.

Add the sugar, vanilla and bananas and mix together. Stir in the sour cream and eggs. Add the baking soda and powder in pinches, breaking up any lumps with your fingers. Add the salt and stir in thoroughly. Stir in the flour just until blended. Stir in the cherries and chocolate chips.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake on the middle oven rack 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes test done. Cool on a rack 5 minutes before unmolding; cool completely before glazing.

To prepare the glaze:
In a small heavy saucepan set over medium-low heat, melt the butter and chocolate chips together, stirring well. Remove from the heat when there are still a few unmelted chips, and stir until completely melted. Spoon the glaze over each cupcake, spreading with a small spatula or knife. Let the glaze harden before serving.