Pie + Cupcake = Pupcake!

One of the last "baby words" my 4 year old still says is "Pupcake" instead of "cupcake".  I've never really broken him of this word because I think it's cute.  However, he's growing up just far too quickly in my opinion and I know that "pupcake" will go the way of other baby things.  So I decided I needed to invent a "pupcake".  Pie + cupcake = pupcake.  This recipe is for a banana cream pupcake.  I made them in my mini muffin tins so each ended up being a hearty teaspoonful.  They would make cute appetizers, but only for close friends as the cupcake liner was a little floppy and they were a little messy.  They were so cute and yummy though, slight floppiness can be forgiven among close friends.

This recipe is basically a scaled down version of banana cream pie.  Enjoy!

Banana Cream Pupcakes by Joie de vivre
 Makes 24 pupcakes with plenty of vanilla cream leftover to make more

Ingredients:

Mini cupcake liners
Mini cupcake pan
1 banana
Mini Nilla wafers
2/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2  c. 2% milk
5 egg yolks
3 Tbls. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Whipped cream for garnish

Directions:

1.  Line 24 mini muffin cups with mini cupcake liners
2.  Place one mini Nilla wafer at the bottom of each cup.  Set muffin pans aside

3.  Start making vanilla cream.  In a saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Add the 2% milk and whisk until combined.
4.  Place saucepan on medium heat and thoroughly whisk in the egg yolks.  Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to barely a simmer.  Cook at barely a simmer for one minute.
5.  Off of the heat, whisk in the butter and the vanilla extract until incorporated.  Mixture should be thickened, if it is not, return it to a gentle heat until it does start to thicken.

6.  Cut banana into thin slices.  Top each Nilla wafer in the muffin cups with one slice of banana.  Top these with one heaping tablespoon full of vanilla cream and then top with another slice of banana.

7.  When the pupcakes are all assembled, cover with Saran wrap and place in the fridge to cool.  The custard will firm up a little more.
8.  When ready to serve top each with a dollop of whipped cream and serve with a spoon.

See how cute these are?!  Sweet face was so excited to try them.  They got an enthusiastic approval from all of us!

The cuteness of these cupcakes (and the cuteness of Sweet Face) inspired a cuteness collage.  I'm submitting these cuties to the Eat Your Words challenge hosted by Tangled Noodle and Savor the Thyme.