Banana cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

OMG!!!!
adapted from All Recipes
makes 18 cupcakes
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
For Peanut Butter frosting:
1/2 cup butter, room temp (1 stick)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
6 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk (you can add more if your prefer a creamier frosting)
For garnish (optional):
Chocolate syrup for drizzle (I used Hershey’s)
Reese’s Peanut Butter cups, chopped
Preheat oven to 350°
Cream shortening and sugar together in mixing bowl.
Add eggs, vanilla, buttermilk and bananas.
Mix until combined thoroughly.
On low speed add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Stir together until combined.
Line muffin pans and fill with batter about 2/3 full.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until cupcakes are set and a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove to wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.
Make frosting:
Combine butter and peanut butter and mix on medium speed until combined.
Slowly add powdered sugar mixing until incorporated.
Add milk slowly until desired consistency is reached.
Pipe frosting on cooled cupcakes and garnish with chocolate syrup and chopped up Reese’s Cups (if desired)

Sticky-Bun Pumpkin Muffins

Found this in Good Housekeeping. Yum!

Ingredients

2 cups pecan halves and pieces
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin
1 cup canola oil
4 large eggs
Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.
2. Stir together melted butter and next 2 ingredients. Spoon 1 rounded teaspoonful butter mixture into each cup of 2 lightly greased 12-cup muffin pans, and top each with 1 rounded tablespoonful pecans.
3. Stir together flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl, and make a well in center of mixture. Whisk together pumpkin, next 2 ingredients, and 2/3 cup water; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
4. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pans, filling three-fourths full.
5. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Invert pan immediately to remove muffins, and arrange muffins on a wire rack. Spoon any topping remaining in muffin cups over muffins. Let cool 5 minutes.
TRY THIS TWIST!
Pecan-Pumpkin Bread: Omit butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Substitute 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans for 2 cups pecan halves and pieces; toast as directed in Step 1. Omit Step 2. Prepare batter as directed in Step 3; stir in pecans. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 9- x 5-inch loafpans. Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour). Makes: 2 loaves. Hands-on time: 20 min.; Total time 2 hr., 40 min.