BANANA SPLIT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• 1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• 2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine bananas and pineapple.
• 3. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
• 4. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the banana mixture, beating well after each addition.
• 5. Fill paper-lined muffin/cupcake cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for ten minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• 6. Slice off the top of the cupcake even with the paper lining.
• 7. Spread with strawberry gelee (recipe to follow) or strawberry jam, and if you wish, a little cream cheese frosting (recipe to follow).
• 8. Replace the top of the cupcake.
• 9. Frost and decorate with the cream cheese frosting and chocolate ganache to look like a sundae or banana split, and top with a cherry (I decorated cherries and Hershey's Chocolate Drops with some disco dust to "bling" them up!)
• 10. CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.
• 11. STRAWBERRY GELEE (to fill or sandwich into cupcake): Heat puree and sugar in small saucepan. Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat. Put water in small bowl and sprinkle gelatin on top. Let sit for 5 minutes.
• 12. Add fruit puree mixture to the bowl and stir until gelatin is dissolved.
• 13. CHOCOLATE GANACHE: Pour 1 cup heavy whipping cream into saucepan. Continuously stir until boiling.
• 14. Gradually add chocolate chips until the mixture turns into a shiny beautiful glaze.