Game Day Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

It's Super Bowl Sunday! Let the good times and great food reign!

That usually means lots of salty fair such as nachos, buffalo wings, cheese fries, chili. You name it.

Well, because I'm a chick and I'm really into dessert. I decided to whip up something sweet to bring to the Super Bowl party this year. My inspiration came from the idea of a cold chocolate dipped banana. 

Who doesn't love that on a hot summer day. Except that it's not hot outside and cupcakes just sounded like fun. 

So I mashed some bananas, threw in some chocolate chips and used that delicious Philadelphia Milk Chocolate Indulgence (that's now available in stores!) and made the most amazing Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with  Creamy Chocolate Frosting.

I reduced the sugar, cut out the oil, and added some nutritious mashed bananas and the end result is a moist and sweet, melt in your mouth, cupcake that is half the fat and calories of something store bought.

Not to mention, it's my honey's nephew's birthday today so cupcakes seemed like a fun birthday treat too.

So no matter what the cause for celebration, these cupcakes are easy to whip up in a hurry with ingredieints you most likely have on hand and are the perfect sweet ending to a salt occasion!

May the best team win!

Cheers and on with the recipe!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Idea inspired by 125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson

1 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
Pinch of Salt

1 Cup Baking Splenda
1/2 Cup Apple Sauce (Unsweetened)
2 Eggs
1 Cup Mashed Bananas (about 2 Large Ripe Bananas)
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Creamy Chocolate Frosting:

8 Ounces Philadelphia Milk Chocolate Indulgence

1/2 Cup Sugar Free Vanilla Frosting

1/4 Cup Chocolate Chips; Minced

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 12 cupcake wells with paper liners and coat with baking spray.

 2. In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix together sugar, Splenda, apple sauce, and eggs until smooth. Add banana and vanilla, beating well. Add flour mixture, beating until combined.
4. Scoop batter into prepared cupcake liners and bake 22-28 minutes or until edges are brown and spring back when touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack.

5. While cupcakes are cooling, beat together the milk chocolate indulgence and vanilla frosting until smooth. Spread evenly and liberally over each cooled cupcake. Top with minced chocolate chips. I also used some colored sprinkles to add some festive fun to the cupcakes. Feel free to be creative!

Servings: 12

Nutritional Skinny:

 

147 calories / 14 g fat / 15 g carbohydrates / 2 g fiber / 3 g protein

Mental Health Benefit: These have the health benefits of bananas, not to mention that not using oil saves us about 100 calories a piece! It's really a no-brainer and the chocolate I believe strongly helps us deal with the most difficult of situations. Even our team loosing the super bowl. So go ahead and whip these up, share with friends, and enjoy the sweet treat of banana's and chocolate!