Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Here it is ya'll: A sinfully good treat you can write off as a serving of fruit. That is, if you eat five at a time like I did....

Banana Cupcakes

From Butter Lane Bakery in NYC
Makes 18 cupcakes
1 ½ cups sugar
1 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
¼ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp. lemon juice)
1 ¼ cups ripe banana, mashed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin pans with paper cups or grease and dust with flour. Cream butter and sugar in a mixer with the paddle attachment, or use a wooden spoon in a bowl. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth. Combine all dry ingredients and mix into batter in 3 parts, alternating with buttermilk. Mix for 2 minutes. Gently fold in mashed banana. Scoop into prepared pan, filling cups 2/3 full. Bake 20-25 minutes, just until a toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting
*This is super dark, almost like spreadable chocolate. Not for the faint of heart, but I always say milk chocolate is for pussies.

Makes 2 cups-ish
8 oz. good quality dark chocolate (I like around 60% cocoa), chopped
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. honey or light corn syrup

In a small saucepan, bring the cream and honey to a simmer. Remove from heat, add the chocolate, and slowly stir until all the chocolate is melted and incorporated. Pour the ganache into a wide dish, such as a sheetpan with sides or casserole. This will help it to cool faster and more evenly. Pop in the fridge for a bit until set but still spreadable.