I learned how to make this recipe from my mother, and I like it even back when I thought cottage cheese was disgusting. It’s great to eat as a snack or to try to get someone to eat cottage cheese. Whether hot or cold, top with jam or another garnish.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 30 mins |
| Additional Time: | 30 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 30 mins |
| Servings: | 30 |
| Yield: | 30 cupcakes |
Ingredients
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup softened butter
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups mashed ripe bananas
- ½ cup drained crushed pineapple
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- 1 ½ cups packed dark brown sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 2 (4 ounce) containers Greek cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup softened butter
- 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 30 muffin tin cups with paper liners.
- Cream 2 cups sugar, 1 cup butter, eggs, and vanilla extract together in a bowl. Combine mashed bananas and pineapple in a separate bowl. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Add flour mixture and banana mixture to the bowl with the butter mixture in alternating additions, mixing well after each. Stir in coconut and pecans. Fill lined muffin tin cups 2/3 full with batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven until a cupcake top bounces back when pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Heat 1 1/2 cups white sugar, dark brown sugar, milk, corn syrup, 2 tablespoons butter, and salt in a heavy saucepan over medium heat to a soft-ball candy thermometer reading of 235 degrees F (112 degrees C). Remove from heat and add vanilla extract. Scoop caramel mixture onto a sheet of waxed paper while still warm. Add pecans while still warm and allow praline topping to cool before handling further.
- Combine cream cheese, 1 cup butter, and maple syrup together in a bowl, scraping the sides down with a spatula. Add confectioners’ sugar slowly until frosting is well mixed.
- Add frosting to the tops of the cooled cupcakes and top with praline topping.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 547 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 88 g |
| Cholesterol | 57 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Saturated Fat | 10 g |
| Sodium | 220 mg |
| Sugars | 73 g |
| Fat | 21 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |