Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place three whole unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Roast bananas for 15 minutes. The peels will turn brownish/black.
While bananas are roasting sift together cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium sized bowl.
Line muffin tins with cupcake liners.
Once bananas are roasted, let cool before peeling. Turn oven down to 350 degrees.
In the bowl on a mixer, cream butter on medium-high until fluffy. Add in egg yolks, one at a time until mixed in. Scraping sides of bowl down in-between eggs.
Add roasted bananas into the mixer.
Mix in dry ingredients in three parts alternating between sour cream (1/4 cup twice).
Beat in vanilla extract.
In a small bowl mix together mini chocolate chips, roasted chopped walnuts and 2 tsp. of cake flour.
Move batter to a large bowl, and clean mixer bowl (If you are not using a stand mixer, just get out another bowl and you don’t need to transfer batter). Add on whisk attachment to mixer. In clean bowl, add in egg whites and whisk until soft peaks form
In the large bowl with batter lightly fold in chocolate chip and walnuts. After the chocolate and nuts are incorporated fold in egg whites in two batches.
Scoop batter into liners, putting about ¼ cup of batter or a cupcake scoop in each lined tin(it should be about ¾ths full). It should make about 16 cupcakes so make sure to fill the empty muffin tins halfway with water for even cooking. lf you have a 12 muffin pan, cook one pan at a time.
Bake for about 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cupcakes cool.
Buttercream Frosting:
Cream butter in bowl of mixer, add in 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla on medium speed. Beat until smooth and creamy, making sure to scrape down the sides to incorporate all of the ingredients. Gradually add in remaining confectioners’ sugar until the frosting is a good spreading consistency. Beat on medium high speed until light and fluffy, making sure not to over beat.
Ganache:
Placed chopped chocolate in small bowl. Place cream in small sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Pour cream on chopped chocolate. Let sit for 1-2 minutes. Whisk together until all the chocolate is melted and smooth. Mix in butter stir until incorporated. Let cool slightly so ganache thickens.
Candied Walnuts:
Take chopped walnuts and place in sauce pan over medium heat. Stirring occasionally and watching so they do not burn. Once walnuts are starting to toast up add in a tablespoon of brown sugar. Stir until brown sugar starts to melt and covers the walnuts. Add in a couple drops of water if the brown sugar isn’t sticking. When walnuts are glazed place on a paper towel and let cool.
Assembly:
Once cupcakes are cooled, prepare a pastry bag with an open circle large tip. Fill with frosting and swirl onto cupcakes. If you don’t have pastry bags or tips, glob a spoonful of frosting in the middle of cupcake and take a knife and smooth around.
With an offset spatula or butter knife, scoop out a small well on in the middle of the frosting.
Take a small whisk, dip in ganache and move back and forth over cupcakes to drizzle with chocolate.
In the well of the frosting add in candied walnuts and chopped banana chips. Enjoy!
Recipe by 2 Sisters 2 Cities at https://www.2sisters2cities.com/2013/03/chunky-monkey-cupcakes/