Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

1 1/2 c sugar
10 Tbsp softened butter
2 tsp vanilla
2 mashed bananas
2 c flour
1/2 c cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c milk

Frosting:
1/2 c butter
1 c peanut butter
3 Tbsp milk, or as needed
2 c confectioners' sugar

Combine first three ingredients in a large bowl; mix well. Add banana, stirring well to combine. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cup and level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with 1/2 cup milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition.

Spoon the batter into 24 muffin cups lined with paper liners. Bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes spring back easily when touched lightly in the center. Allow to cool, and frost if desired.

To make frosting:

Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy.

NOTES
Cupcake recipe from Post Punk Kitchen -- theirs is vegan; I changed it because I am a snob who only bakes with real butter, but it will work fine with vegan butter and soymilk as well.
Frosting recipe from allrecipes.com
The combination of chocolate, bananas and peanut butter works so well together. The cupcakes are good unfrosted as well, but I would recommend the frosting.

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 eggs
1 3/4 c brown sugar
1 c vegetable oil
2 c flour
2 c grated zucchini
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Beat eggs and brown sugar 10 minutes or until thick and pale. Add oil and melted chocolate; stir.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; mix into egg mixture. Fold in zucchini.

Spoon batter into greased muffin cups, filling 2/3 full.

Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool 10 minutes in pan before removing from pan.

Cool and Frost with chocolate or cream cheese frosting.

NOTES
From allrecipes.com.
I believe I have frosted these with chocolate cream cheese icing.
Zucchini makes these nice and moist and you can pretend they're not so bad for you.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Cupcakes:

1 3/4 c flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c butter, softened
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c plus 2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Frosting:

4 Tbsp butter, softened
2 C powdered sugar
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin pans with 18 cupcake papers; set aside.

To make cupcakes: Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Spoon batter into the cupcake papers so they are half full. You should get 18 cupcakes. Bake 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

To make frosting: Put the softened butter into a bowl. Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa over the butter. Cream together on low speed to blend. Gradually add the vanilla and milk and mix on medium speed until frosting is smooth. Add more milk if you like a thinner consistency.

NOTES
From Penzey's.
Untried.