Banana Pudding Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, 2–3 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in mashed bananas and vanilla extract. The batter may look a bit curdled—totally normal.
On low speed, mix in the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions (begin and end with dry ingredients). Do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly in the cupcake liners. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, whisk instant banana pudding mix with cold milk in a bowl. Chill in the fridge for at least 10 minutes to thicken.
In a chilled bowl, beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
Once cupcakes are completely cool, use a knife or cupcake corer to remove a small center from each cupcake (reserve or snack on scraps). Fill each hole with banana pudding.
Pipe or dollop whipped cream on top. Gently press a vanilla wafer cookie into each cupcake. Garnish with fresh banana slices right before serving, if desired.