Banana Split Cupcakes

I found this recipe in a cookbook I have, called "Kids' Party Food." I've been excited to try it and just made them this past week for an Activity Days activity.

Ingredients:

1 package yellow cake mix
1 cup water

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

3 eggs

1/2 cup chopped drained maraschino cherries

1 1/2 cups miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups prepared vanilla frosting

1 cup marshmallow creme

1 teaspoon shortening

Colored sprinkles

30 whole maraschino cherries, drained and patted dry

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake/muffin pans with paper baking cups (you'll need about 30).

Reserve 2 tablespoons dry cake mix in a separate small bowl. In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining cake mix, water, bananas and eggs. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Combine chopped cherries and reserved cake mix. Stir chopped cherry mixture and 1 cup of chocolate chips (I used regular instead of mini-sized chips and it worked fine) into batter.

Spoon batter into baking cups. Bake 15-20 minutes (test with toothpick). Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes to wire racks and cool completely.

Combine frosting and marshmallow creme in a medium bowl until well blended. Frost each cupcake. Combine remaining chocolate chips and shortening in small microwavable bowl. Microwave 30-45 seconds, stirring until smooth. Drizzle chocolate mixture over cupcakes (I used Hershey's chocolate syrup instead of melting the chocolate chips and it worked well, though it was a little messy!). Add colored sprinkles. Place one whole cherry on each cupcake.