Banana Pudding Cupcakes

Banana Pudding Cupcakes Cupcakes: 1 box vanilla cake mix plus ingredients to prepare (Use whole milk or buttermilk in place of water) OR from scratch using 1 recipe Old Fashioned Butter Cake For the filling: 1 [8 oz] container spreadable light cream cheese softened 1 [14 oz] can sweetened condensed milk 1 cup whole milk 1 [3.4 oz] package instant vanilla pudding mix 1 [16 oz] container frozen whipped topping thawed & divided 3 bananas 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 cup crushed vanilla wafer crumbs for garnishing To prepare the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two 12 cup muffin tins with liners. Prepare the cake mix per the instructions on the box using milk or buttermilk in place of the water. Use the same quantity of eggs recommended by the package directions. Bake the cupcakes per the directions then set aside to cool. (From scratch Old Fashioned Butter Cake) To prepare the filling: In a mixing bowl, whip together the softened cream cheese and the sweetened condensed milk for around 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the milk, vanilla and instant vanilla pudding mix. Whip the ingredients together on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until the mixture thickens. Fold in 1 cup of whipped topping by hand. Slice and quarter the bananas just before adding to the custard, so, they won't brown. Fold the chunks of chopped banana into the custard. To assemble: Using a sharp knife, cut the middle out of each cupcake leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edge. Sprinkle half of the crushed vanilla wafer crumbs into the bottom of the cupcake shells reserving the other half for garnishing the tops. Divide the filling between the cupcakes. To finish the cupcakes, pipe a dollop of whipped topping on top and sprinkle the tops with the remaining crushed vanilla wafer crumbs. Chill thoroughly before serving. Recipe Notes Depending on how the batter is divided you may yield 18--24 cupcakes. Due to the fact that bananas begin to brown quickly, I recommend making these cupcakes and serving them on the same day.