Banana Pudding Cupcakes

Banana Pastry Cream

1 c milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 T. unsalted butter
1 ripe banana (black spots on skin, fragrant)

Slice banana into a bowl.  In a medium saucepan, heat milk and salt over med-hi heat until almost to a boil. Remove from heat and pour over the bananas. Cool to room temperature, then cover bowl and refrigerate overnight to steep.  Pour through a sieve back into saucepan, pressing bananas gently to release as much liquid as possible. Save the bananas for use in bread or smoothie.
Bring milk to a simmer. Whisk together the cornstarch, sugar and egg in another bowl.  In a slow stream, add 1/4 cup of hot milk to the eggs, whisking constantly so the eggs don't start to cook.  Add back into the remaining hot milk, cooking over med heat and stirring constantly, until thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.  Pour into glass bowl and cool for 15 minutes, then place in refrigerator for 30 minutes while you make the cupcakes.

Cupcakes
3/4 c (2 lg) ripe bananas (black spots on skins)
3/4 c. buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla
6 T unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c sugar
2 eggs, room temp
1 1/2 c unbleached flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Place 12 cupcake liners in cupcake pan. 
In blender, blend the banana with buttermilk and vanilla.
In large mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter for 5 min until pale and fluffy.  Slowly add sugar and beat 2 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, until combined.
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
With mixer on low, alternate adding flour and banana mixtures to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour, mixing only enough to combine. scraping the bowl often.  Do not overbeat.
Sppon batter into cupcake liners, filling 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan for 5 min., then remove and cool on wire rack.
Once cool, use a table knife to cut a cone out of center of each cupcake and fill with banana pastry cream.

Vanilla Buttercream
1 1/2 c (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1/4 c. heavy cream

Beat butter in mixer with paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.  Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition.  Add vanilla, salt, and heavy cream, and beat for another minute until airy and creamy.
Spoon into an icing bag fitted with large round or star tip and pipe onto tops of filled cupcakes.

Store covered at room temperature for 2-3 days.