In a food processor, combine washed and drained black beans with drippy peanut butter and blend until there are no black bean chunks. Add a peeled banana, cocoa powder, and honey (or maple syrup). Blend again until smooth.
Add in the vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt and pulse until combined.
Grease 2 mini cupcake tins and grease them with cooking oil spray. Dollop about 1 tablespoon of batter into each muffin tin, nearly filling the cavity.
Bake the mini cupcakes for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes.
Make salted date caramel (recipe below) and schmear the caramel onto each cupcake. Garnish with sweet cacao nibs.
Salted Date Caramel
Remove the pit from moist, squishy dates. If they feel dry, soak them in hot water for a few minutes and then drain before proceeding.
In a food processor or blender, combine dates, maple syrup, water, and sea salt. Blend until smooth. Add additional water if you prefer a thinner caramel sauce.
Notes
You will have extra caramel, but the recipe for the salted date caramel cannot be halved unless you have a very small (~3 cup) food processor).
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 2 mini cupcakes
Recipe by Uproot Kitchen at https://uprootkitchen.com/2015/02/13/black-bean-cupcakes-salted-caramel/