White Chocolate and Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes

I've been seeing this combo of white chocolate and peanut butter all over the blogosphere.  I finally decided to try it!

These are actually fairly fluffy and not as dense as I expected.  Between the banana, yogurt, and peanut butter, I expected these to be mini pound cakes.  But no, these are slightly moister than traditional cake, (and I like mine that way!) but still fluffy and tender. 

I debated how I wanted to do this, but the end result is even better than I had hoped.  The banana is subtle, and the peanut butter and white chocolate get to shine.  I'm not a huge white chocolate fan, but I had most of a bag left over from this milkshake so I had to use it!  Peanut butter (aside from being my favorite ingredient ever) was a new and exciting pairing.  I wasn't disappointed by how they blended.  The white chocolate wasn't overpoweringly sweet and neither was the peanut butter overly nutty.  The flavors are both there and compliment each other really well.

The frosting is SO simple and yet it adds so much to these cupcakes!  I guess in order to call it a cupcake, it needed frosting, and I really like this one.  It is more of a thick glaze, but these cupcakes really don't need very much.  To be honest, they don't need the frosting, but they looked so boring on their own, I needed something to make them photogenic.  (Isn't it always the best recipes that look the worst?  I mean, how can I tell you this cupcake blends three incredible flavors in a moist and tender cupcake when all there is, is a tan cupcake with no color or chunks of texture?  So, I needed the frosting.  And the sprinkles, because sprinkles make everything festive:)

White Chocolate and Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes
Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life.  Adapted from Chiquita
Yield: 12 frosted cupcakes

Cupcakes:
2 medium bananas, ripe and mashed
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 oz. white chocolate chips, melted
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Frosting:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon peanut butter

Optional: Sprinkles, white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.  Line and lightly grease a regular 12 cupcake pan.

For cupcakes:  Mash bananas well.  Beat eggs and add bananas, milk, yogurt, peanut butter and vanilla.  Stir until smooth.  Add melted white chocolate chips and stir.  Combine sugar, flour, salt and baking soda and add to wet ingredients.  Stir until moistened. 

Spoon into prepared pan, filling 3/4 way full.  Bake for 15-17 minutes.  Let cool before frosting.

For frosting: Melt butter and white chocolate chips in microwave for 30-40 seconds, stirring occassionally.  Heat for 10 seconds longer, if necessary.  Stir in peanut butter and let cool for one minute.  Spread on cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with sprinkles and white chocolate chips, if desired.