Bananas are one of our favorite fruits to bake with, always tasting great in breads, candies, and of course cupcakes. Chef Dana Herbert used bananas to create his very own delectable cupcake recipe and lucky for us, decided to share!

You may know Chef Herbert from his first season win on TLC's Cake Boss: Next Great Baker, from his specialty cake shop in New Castle, Delaware called Desserts by Dana, or maybe you just read our fun interview with him last week where he chatted about his love for baking. However you know him, the important thing is that you do (if his name is a mystery to you, this is our not-so-subtle way of telling you to look him up).

Banana Cupcakes:

Cake Ingredients:

• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Icing or Filling Ingredients:

• 4 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

In a bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light.

Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in banana, yogurt and vanilla.

Add flour mixture until just combined.

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in a cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool.

Frosting Directions:

In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of just-simmering water, melt chocolate. Let cool to room temperature.

In a bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light, about 3 minutes.

Beat in milk, vanilla and chocolate until smooth.

Spread frosting on cupcakes.

Alternative Filling: " What's great about this pastry cream is that with this recipe you can flavor it with anything. You can make it banana, cinnamon, dark chocolate, white chocolate, milk chocolate, anything that compliments banana — even a bacon pastry cream — just by adding small amounts of any of the above to the recipe. I do them to taste," says Chef Herbert.

Pastry Cream Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 8 oz sugar
• Pinch salt
• 3/4 oz cornstarch
• 1/4 oz cake flour
• 3 oz egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 stick butter

Directions:

Heat three fourths milk and half the sugar.

Meanwhile combine starch, flour and remaining sugar in a bowl. Add remaining milk to starch mixture.

Add eggs to starch mixture until combined.

Temper starch mixture into hot milk mixture and continue to stir for two to three minutes.

Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter.