Banana Cupcakes

Ingredients

Makes: 12 large cupcakes

Cook: 20 minutes

BANANA CHIP CUPCAKES:

• 1    package (18.25-ounce) banana cake mix, Duncan Hines®

• 11⁄3    cups evaporated milk, Carnation®

• 3⁄4    cup mashed bananas

• 1⁄4    cup canola oil

• 2    eggs

• 3⁄4    cup miniature chocolate chips, Nestlé®

• 1⁄2    cup toffee bits, Heath®

• 1    teaspoon banana extract, McCormick®

• 1    can (12-ounce) whipped chocolate frosting, Betty Crocker®

MONKEY FACES:

• 12    peanut butter sandwich cookies, Nutter Butter®

• 12    vanilla wafer cookies, Nilla®

•     Black decorating icing, Betty Crocker®

• 24    rainbow-colored candies, Skittles®

•     Chocolate sprinkles, Betty Crocker®

Directions

For Banana Chip Cupcakes, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line twelve large 3 1⁄2-inch muffin cups with paper baking cups; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, evaporated milk, mashed bananas, oil, and eggs; beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down side of the bowl and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes more. Stir in chocolate chips and toffee bits. Spoon about 3⁄4 cup batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Remove from muffin cups; place on wire racks and let cool. Stir banana extract into chocolate frosting; spread over cooled cupcakes.

For Monkey Faces, cut each peanut butter sandwich cookie in half crosswise (24 pieces total). Cut about one-quarter off the top of each vanilla wafer. For each cupcake, place 2 of the sandwich cookie pieces on a frosted cupcake, placing pieces toward top and across from each other. Add a vanilla wafer half between the sandwich cookie pieces, placing it slightly lower than the sandwich cookie pieces. Using black icing, pipe 2 small dots at the top of the vanilla wafer piece for nostrils. Pipe a smile with black decorating icing. For eyes, place 2 rainbow-colored candies above the vanilla wafer piece; pipe a dot of black icing in the middle of each candy piece. Sprinkle chocolate sprinkles above eyes for hair.