Banana Layer Cake/ cupcakes

I got this fabulous recipe out of "Cooking Light." Originally it is for a banana layer cake, but I decided to make cupcakes because I think they're easier ao I will give you the original recipe, but also add that when I made these, I cooked them for about 10-11 minutes (depending on your oven) and I used canned cream cheese frosting, not homemade.

Also, a few tips: if you don't have buttermilk on hand (which I never do) you can fill your measuring cup with normal milk a little less than the 1/2 cup line, and then pour a couple of tsp. or so of vinegar in it til it reaches the 1/2 cup measurement. This will curdle it and voila! Buttermilk. Also, I toast my nuts on a baking sheet in an oven set to about 300-325; toast until brown and you can smell them. To easily toast coconut, spread the coconut on a microwave-safe plate in an even layer, and microwave on high 30 sec. Stop and stir it, then microwave again another 30 seconds. Keep stirring and doing this until your coconut is brown and crunchy, but not burnt.

Cake:
Cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 & 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 & 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk

Frosting:
2/3 cup (about 5 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar

Remaining ingredients:
2 tbsp. finely chopped pecans, toasted
2 tbsp. flaked sweet coconut, toasted

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. To prepare cake, coat 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray, line the bottoms with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place granulated sugar, oil, 1 & 1/4 tsp. vanilla, egg whites, and egg in large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended. Add banana; beat well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
4. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks; remove from pans. Peel off wax paper; cool completely on wire racks.
5. To prepare frosting: place cream cheese, and 1 tsp. vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar; beat at low speed until smooth.
6. Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup icing, and top with other cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle pecans and coconut over top layer of cake. Store cake loosely in refrigerator. Yield: 16 servings.