Sunday Night Sins

I love to bake, so once a week I will indulge and make cookies, or something else for us. I usually do it on Monday nights for FHE, but since I couldn't go to church today (Thomas has Fifths Disease - just a bad rash, nothing serious) I made something this afternoon. Thomas had asked for cupcakes, so I decided I would make banana cupcakes. I could say that mine were kind of healthy, but they were not. This was the first time I made them and they turned out really good. Next time I am going to try making them using the "healthy" ingredients.

Banana Cupcakes
1/2 cup shortening (If you wanted to be really good, use applesauce instead of shortening)
1 1/2 cups sugar (You could even do 1 cup because of the bananas, I will next time)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour (Healthy: use 1 white 1 whole-wheat white flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting (Healthier: Instead of frosting them, drizzle them with icing)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk

1tsp vanilla

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla, bananas and buttermilk. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to banana mixture. Fill 18 paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. In a small mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and enough milk to achieve desired spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes. I added chocolate jimmies to the top because I was feeling rather sassy.