Random Ramblings

I stumbled (literally) across this fantastic blog called Love and Olive Oil www.loveandoliveoil.com the recipes are amazing. I had a hard time just picking one to try tonight. But this cupcake looked so delicious that there's no way I can't bake them as soon as possible. Here's the link for the recipe: www.loveandoliveoil.com/2007/09/banana-split-cupcakes.html
Here are the directions if you don't feel like taking a trip to Love and Olive Oil:
Ingredients
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 ½ cups plain soymilk
2 1/8 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/8 cups sugar
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
½ cup canola oil
1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
½ cup shortening (crisco)
½ cup margarine
3 ½ cup confectioners sugar, sifted
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup soy milk
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon corn syrup
3 tablespoons soy milk

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350º. Line muffin cups with paper cupcake liners. Lightly spray liners and top of pan with cooking spray. This will prevent the tops of the cupcakes from sticking to the pan when they rise. Set aside.

Combined apple cider vinegar and soymilk in small bowl. Stir well and set aside (the mixture will curdle).
In a bowl, mash banana with canola oil until incorporated. Add extracts and mix well.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the curdled soymilk and banana mixtures to the dry ingredients and stir until smooth (try not to overmix it). Mix in chocolate chips.

Fill each muffin cup with ¼ cup of batter. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.

Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then remove and place on a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.
For frosting: With electric mixer, beat margarine and shortening until fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and continue to beat until all the sugar is incorporated. Add soymilk and vanilla and continue to beat for another 5 minutes. Spread generously on cupcakes.

Melt chocolate in the microwave by heating for 20 seconds, stirring, heating for another 20 seconds, until melted. Add soy milk and corn syrup and stir. Drizzle chocolate over frosted cupcakes, top with a cherry and/or chopped nuts and sprinkles, and enjoy.