Banana Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

Decadent.

To make these bundles of deliciousness, you need to make 3 things: yellow cupcakes, banana pastry cream (kind of like a pudding), and chocolate ganache. Even though this recipe sounds kind of complicated, it's really very simple. Just pop the filled cupcake pan in the oven and make the creamy filling and ganache while it's baking.
I found the original recipe at http://cupcakeblog.com/?p=72 , but I tweaked it a little bit to make the banana taste a little less overpowering and to make the cupcakes a little less dense. (Note-- if you don't have maple flavoring on hand, just substitute vanilla)

To make the cupcakes:

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1½ teaspoons maple extract
¾ cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time; scrape down bowl, and beat in maple.
3. Add flour mixture and milk alternatively, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
4. Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, about three-quarters full each. Bake until golden and tops spring back to touch, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer pans to wire rack; cool completely.

While the cupcakes are in the oven, make the filling and chocolate ganache:

Banana Pastry Cream

2 cups Whole milk
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon maple extract pinch salt
4 egg yolks
¼ cup cornstarch
1 banana, chopped

1. Heat milk, ¼ cup of the sugar, the maple, and salt in a pan over medium until it reaches a simmer
2. Whisk egg yolks, cornstarch, and remaining ¼ cup sugar in a medium sized bowl until combined.
3. Slowly add ½ cup of the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture, whisking continuously.
4. Add remaining milk mixture slowly while whisking.
5. Transfer back into the pan and heat over medium-high heat, whisking constantly until it thickens. It will thicken all of a sudden, give it a good whisk then take it off the heat.
6. Transfer to the bowl again and fold in the chopped banana


To make the ganache, empty 1/2 of a bag of chocolate chips into a saucepan and add 1/3 cup of evaporated milk. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and the mixture is completely smooth.

Boston cream cupcake assembly:
1. Using a small pairing knife, cut off the top of the cupcake in the shape of a cone. Flip the top over and cut off the cone.
2. Fill the cavity with the banana pastry cream.
3. Replace the top of the cone.
4. Scoop a tablespoon of ganache on top of each cupcake and spread it around to cover the edges of the filling cavity.
5. (the most important step) eat all of the cupcakes yourself, reminding family members who beg for them of the story of the little red hen.