Hummingbird Cupcakes

Serves 12

Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 bananas, mashed 

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil / melted butter 

⅓ cup honey 

1 egg 

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup coconut milk 

½ cup shredded coconut

2 tsp cinnamon 

Pinch nutmeg

Pinch cardamom (optional)

1½ cups wholemeal flour (or gluten-free) 

3 tsp baking powder

½ cup pineapple pieces 

½ cup pecans, roughly chopped + extra for decorating

Coconut Cream Icing

270ml coconut cream, chilled in fridge overnight 

¼ cup honey or maple syrup 

2 tsp vanilla extract 

1 lime, zested

Method

Heat oven to 180°C (fan forced) and line 12 cup muffin tray with patty cake pans. 

Mash the bananas, then add to a large mixing bowl with extra virgin olive oil, honey, egg, vanilla, coconut milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom and whisk until creamy. Add wholemeal flour, baking powder, shredded coconut, pineapple pieces, and pecans and mix. Spoon into a muffin tray, bake for 20 minutes, and cool in the tin. 

Once the cupcakes have cooled and are ready to ice, make the coconut cream icing. Take the coconut cream from the fridge, and without shaking it, open and scoop the hardened cream from the top of the tin (the fat and the water separate when refrigerated, you can pop the water aside for a smoothie!). Place cream into a bowl, add honey or maple syrup and vanilla, and whisk until a fluffy, buttercream-like consistency forms. 

Cut little triangles from the top of the cupcakes. Pipe the coconut icing cream into each little hole, then place the cut triangle back on top (upside down looks cute too). Drizzle with some extra honey and finish with some chopped pecans. 

Opt: You can also pipe the cream around the cupcake without cutting it etc, and finish with some pineapple and pecans.