Camp Cupcake: Banana Pecan Cupcakes

As I made these, among other things, I kept thinking about that Jack Johnson song, "Banana Pancakes." It was raining outside.

While I feel that I have become skilled at various cooking techniques over the course of this experiment, the one thing that continues to elude me is caramel. This recipe goes wonderfully with caramel buttercream, which I attempted to make using homemade caramel, but once again, had to resort to subbing it for this:

I loathe you, Smuckers Ice Cream Topping. You are a reminder of my failings, and I hate that I continue to return to you like a crutch. And yet, I am so grateful for that crutch.

Here is the link on Martha's website. The cupcakes themselves were wonderful, very much like the banana bread my dad loves to make. They would be a perfect way to get rid of the overripe bananas hanging from that weird little banana tree in your kitchen.

Also, if anyone has any tips on how to make good caramel, I would love to hear it. The first batch I made was undercooked, and the sugar was not caramelized. The second batch cooked too long. I need help.