Banana cupcakes 101

I have been waiting all week for 2 bananas to ripen so I could try out this recipe for banana cupcakes. I was inspired by some "Best Thing I Ever Ate" episode where Ted Allen goes to Butter Lane for a banana cupcake. So i find this recipe at All Recipes that has all the things I think are needed for a great banana cupcake, of course I made some minor changes and list those to the side

Banana Cupcake CUPCAKES
• 3/4 cup sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup banana, ripe and mashed well
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used and highly recommend half of a vanilla bean scraped with the back of knife)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (I used King Aurthur)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup buttermilk or plain fat-free yogurt (I used low-fat buttermilk
I added 1 teaspoon of freshly grated lemon zest
FROSTING
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cream cheese,
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (again I used half of vanilla bean scraped)
I added 1 teaspoon of freshly grated lemon zest ( this really gives it a fresh taste and mutes just slightly the sweetness of the bananas) as well as 1/8 of a cup of buttermilk and 1 tsp of lightly salted butter just to get things blended as I mixed everything by hand
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., and spray a 12 cup muffin pan with non-stick spray. IMPORTANT: If you use paper liners, be sure to spray the insides of the liners or the cupcakes will stick!

CUPCAKES: Mix the mashed banana and 1/4 cup sugar and set aside.

Beat 1/2 cup sugar, butter and 1 tsp vanilla extract at medium speed of a mixer until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Now add banana mixture and beat well.

In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Add flour mixture to wet mixture alternately with buttermilk, mixing after each addition.

Bake at 350 deg. for about 25 minutes (mine were ready at about 22) or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

FROSTING: Beat powdered sugar, chilled cream cheese and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract at medium speed just until blended (do not overbeat). Use the back of a spoon to spread over cupcakes.
I mixed everything by hand with a large fork as I am saving up for a Kitchen Aide stand mixer and refuse to by a hand mixer! Store frosted cupcakes and any leftover frosting in the refrigerator loosely covered with press and seal or whatever you have handy that won't stick to your frosting.