Banana Cupcakes

This banana cupcake recipe is packed with banana flavor! Sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting is the perfect pairing to these delicious cupcakes. One of the best ways to use overripe bananas!

Ingredients for Banana Cupcakes

Banana cupcakes

• All-purpose flour – Be sure to fluff the flour and level your measuring cups.
• Granulated sugar – For sweetness.
• Baking powder – Leavening agent to help the cupcakes rise.
• Salt – To enhance the flavor of the cupcakes and contrast the sweetness.
• Milk – Room temperature.
• Vegetable oil – You can also use canola oil.
• Egg – Large egg, room temperature.
• Vanilla extract – Vanilla extract enhances the banana flavor.
• Banana – Bananas come in different sizes. You will need 2/3 cup mashed banana which is about 1-2 average sized bananas. Use ripe bananas with brown spots for the best banana flavor.

Cream cheese frosting

• Unsalted butter – Room temperature for easy creaming.
• Cream cheese – Also at room temperature to combine easily with the butter.
• Powdered sugar – No need to sift unless the powdered sugar is lumpy.
• Salt – For a bit of contrast to the sweetness.
• Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract adds amazing flavor to the cream cheese frosting.

How to Make Banana Cupcakes

Banana cupcakes are super easy to make and require just a mixing bowl and a whisk.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Add in milk, egg, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and mashed banana to the flour mixture.
4. Whisk the dry and wet ingredients together until combined and smooth. Do not overmix.
5. Portion the batter into cupcake liners using a large cookie scoop about 3/4 full.
6. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until the cupcakes bounce back when gently touched or an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
7. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting

For the cream cheese frosting, you will need a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or an electric hand mixer. There are only five ingredients and the frosting only takes a few minutes to make.

1. Whip the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
2. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined.
3. Add in the vanilla extract and salt.
4. Turn the mixer to medium-high and whip for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.

For these cupcakes, I used a Wilton 1M piping tip to swirl on the cream cheese frosting. Starting in the middle, swirl the buttercream outward and then upward to create an “ice cream cone swirl”. Add a banana chip to each cupcake for a little extra flair.