I recently ate some banoffee pie and it reminded me of my school days where it was genuinely the thing of dreams (if you know, you know). Although the original banoffee pie is 99% unbeatable, I thought I would mix it up for 2018 and deconstruct it into a banana sponge, salted caramel frosting and chocolate banana top.

Ingredients: (makes 12)

• 3 bananas, mashed (I use riper brown bananas)
• 140g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 75g butter, melted in the microwave
• 200g plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 0.5 tsp baking powder
• 30g Mini fudge pieces (optional)
• 12 cupcake cases

For the caramel icing:

• 220g icing sugar
• 80g butter, soft
• 20ml milk
• A few tbsp of a salted caramel sauce (I used this one). You can also just use regular Carnations caramel in a tin.

To top:

• 1 banana- sliced or diced
• Chocolate curls/ grated chocolate
• Mini fudge pieces (see picture below)
• Gold stars (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius/ 356 F/ Gas mark 4.
2. In a bowl, mash the bananas, until mush. Mix this with the sugar, egg and melted butter. 
3. In another bowl, sift together the flour, bicarb of soda and baking powder.
4. Fold the flour mix into the banana mix, until combined. Stir in the fudge chunks (if using)
5. Line a 12 hole baking tin with the cupcake cases.
6. Spoon the mixture evenly into the baking cases. I usually use a ice cream scoop for this, to get an even amount.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
8. To check if cooked, insert a skewer into one of the cupcakes into the centre. It should come out clean.
9. Remove the cupcakes from the tray and leave to cool.
10. Meanwhile make the icing. Beat the icing sugar and butter together with an electric hand or freestanding whisk until well combined.
11. Then add the milk slowly into the sugar and butter, whisking as you go. Add a few drizzles of the caramel. I usually add it bit by bit- you can always add more once whisked.
12. Continue beating this on a high speed for about 5 minutes. The longer you whisk it, the fluffier it will become. Add more caramel if necessary.
13. Once the cupcakes are dry, pipe the icing on top of them. If you do not have a piping bag, then put the icing into a ziplock bag and cut the end off/ you can just spread it on with a knife.
14. Top with the fresh banana, chocolate curls, gold stars and fudge pieces.