Does a breakfast cupcake always have to be called a muffin?  It doesn’t when it’s slathered in brown sugar caramel frosting!  These banana oat cupcakes made with ripe bananas, rolled oats, and coconut milk are satisfying on their own, but truly shine once you add the frosting and sprinkle coconut on top.  Eat them at breakfast time or any time you want a special treat.

Yield: 18 cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 cup rolled oats

Brown Sugar Caramel Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
Shredded coconut, to taste

Cupcake Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
In another medium-sized bowl, cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture looks like wet sand (about two minutes on high speed with an electric mixer).
Add bananas to butter mixture and mix until combined.
Mix in eggs one and a time to butter mixture, mixing until fully incorporated.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients a little bit at a time, mixing until just combined.
Mix in coconut milk until just combined.
Fold in rolled oats.
Fill cupcake liners ¾ full.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry.

Brown Sugar Caramel Directions
Melt butter in a small saucepan on medium-high heat.
Add the brown sugar and bring to a boil, stirring gently to combine.
Lower heat to medium low and continue to boil for two minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the coconut milk and stir quickly as the mixture returns to a boil.  This will happen fast.
Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.
Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until thick enough to spread.
Spread on cooled cupcakes and top with shredded coconut.