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These Banana Cupcakes are light, moist, and full of rich banana flavor. The brown sugar frosting is creamy and adds the perfect sweet touch.
Who doesn’t love a delicious cupcake? Especially when it’s a Banana Cupcake topped with the most amazing Brown Sugar Frosting!
This recipe is great for any occasion, whether it’s a birthday party, a family gathering, or just a sweet treat for yourself (can’t go wrong there).
Lily loves making cupcakes. Pouring the batter into the cups is her favorite thing. Make sure you get the kids involved if possible!
The ingredients are simple, and you probably already have most of them in your pantry. Keep hold of that recipe card!
Plus, using overripe bananas is a great way to avoid waste and create something incredibly tasty all at the same time.
The brown sugar frosting is what really takes these cupcakes to the next level. It’s smooth, creamy, and has a lovely caramel-like flavor that pairs perfectly with the banana cake.
I can’t get enough of these easy banana cupcakes. Let’s get into the recipe and I’ll show you exactly why!
Some of our other favorite banana recipes we have on our site include: Banana Pudding Fluff Salad with Whipped Cream, Best Easy Banana Cream Pie Recipe, and Banana Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Icing.
Jump to:
- WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- HOW TO MAKE banana cupcakes:
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
- HOW MANY BANANAS DO I NEED?
- CAN I USE A DIFFERENT FROSTING?
- ANY ADDITIONS?
- ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
- HOW TO STORE:
- DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Banana Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- Rich Banana Flavor: Using overripe bananas ensures a strong, sweet banana flavor in every bite.
- Moist and Fluffy: The right balance of wet and dry ingredients keeps these cupcakes moist and fluffy.
- Perfect Frosting: The brown sugar frosting is creamy and adds a wonderful sweetness to these moist cupcakes that complement the moist banana cupcakes perfectly.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Fine sea salt
- Mashed bananas
- Large egg
- Vanilla extract
- Milk
- Light brown sugar
- Unsalted butter
HOW TO MAKE banana cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, line cupcake tins with liners, set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, egg, and vanilla.
- Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir until just combined with no dry spots.
- Fill 15 cupcake liners with 3 tablespoons each of the batter.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.
- Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Brown Sugar Frosting
- Add the milk to a small saucepot.
- Add the flour a little at a time, whisking it in completely to avoid lumps.
- Place over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes. Take off the heat.
- Whisk in the vanilla and allow to cool to room temperature.
- In the body of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the butter until smooth.
- Add the brown sugar a little at a time until it’s fully incorporated, scrape down the sides.
- Turn the mixer on high speed and whip for 10 minutes, scraping often. There should be little to no graininess left.
- Add the milk mixture and whip on high for 3 more minutes until light and fluffy, like a whipped cream consistency.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, top with the brown sugar frosting and serve.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
HOW MANY BANANAS DO I NEED?
You will need about 3 medium fresh bananas to get 1 ½ cups of mashed bananas.
Using overripe bananas works best for a richer banana flavor.
Extra ripe bananas, the kind with brown spots, will give you the best banana flavor and make your cupcakes super moist.
It’s a great way to use up old bananas from your fruit bowl.
CAN I USE A DIFFERENT FROSTING?
Absolutely! While the brown sugar frosting is delicious, you can also try cinnamon cream cheese frosting, chocolate ganache, or even a simple vanilla buttercream.
The possibilities are endless, and each one can bring out the delicious banana flavor in different ways.
Whether it’s a tangy cream cheese frosting or a rich brown butter frosting, your banana bread cupcakes will taste amazing.
ANY ADDITIONS?
The most delicious cupcakes are the ones you add a little something to.
Try out a few of these ideas!
- Chocolate Chips: Mix into the batter for a chocolatey twist.
- Chopped Nuts: Walnuts or pecans add a nice crunch.
- Cinnamon: Add a teaspoon to the batter for extra warmth.
- Coconut Flakes: Sprinkle on top for a tropical touch.
- Peanut Butter Drizzle: Swirl on top of the frosting.
- Toffee Bits: Fold into the batter for added texture.
- Banana Chips: Top the frosting with a few for decoration.
- Sprinkles: For a fun, colorful addition.
- Caramel Sauce: Drizzle over the frosting.
- Shredded Carrot: Mix into the batter for a carrot-banana combo.
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
It’s up to you whether you use fully brown bananas.
Yes, they are definitely sweeter, but they also have just a slightly different flavor.
- All-purpose Flour: Substitute with cake flour for a lighter texture.
- Granulated Sugar: Use coconut sugar for a different flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: Substitute with melted coconut oil or vegetable oil.
- Egg: Use a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water) for a vegan option.
- Milk: Substitute with almond milk or any non-dairy milk.
- Brown Sugar: Use dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor.
HOW TO STORE:
Room Temp: Store the frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
Freezer: You can freeze unfrosted cupcakes.
Place them in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before frosting and serving.
You can freeze frosted cupcakes as well for 3 months.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Use Overripe Bananas: Overripe bananas with brown spots are the best for this recipe as they add more sweetness and banana flavor.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix the batter just until the dry ingredients are incorporated to keep the cupcakes light and fluffy.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter and egg are at room temperature for easier mixing.
- Chill the Frosting: Let the milk mixture cool before whipping it to ensure it’s smooth and fluffy.
- Pipe the Frosting: Use a piping bag for a professional look when frosting the cupcakes.
- Measure Accurately: Use a measuring cup for the flour and level it off with a knife for best results.
Banana Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting are a delightful treat that captures the best of banana and brown sugar flavors in every bite.
Get ready for fluffy cupcakes that you can’t put down!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
Banana Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting
Ingredients
Banana Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas about 3 medium bananas
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Brown Sugar Frosting
- 1 cup milk
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
Instructions
Banana Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, line cupcake tins with liners, set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, egg, and vanilla.1 1/2 cups mashed bananas, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir until just combined with no dry spots.
- Fill 15 cupcake liners with 3 tablespoons each of the batter.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.
- Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Brown Sugar Frosting
- Add the milk to a small saucepot.1 cup milk
- Add the flour a little at a time, whisking it in completely to avoid lumps.5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Place over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes. Take off the heat.
- Whisk in the vanilla and allow to cool to room temperature.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In the body of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the butter until smooth.1 cup unsalted butter
- Add the brown sugar a little at a time until it's fully incorporated, scrape down the sides.1 cup light brown sugar
- Turn the mixer on high speed and whip for 10 minutes, scraping often. There should be little to no graininess left.
- Add the milk mixture and whip on high for 3 more minutes until light and fluffy, like a whipped cream consistency.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, top with the brown sugar frosting and serve.
Notes
- Use Overripe Bananas: Overripe bananas with brown spots are the best for this recipe as they add more sweetness and banana flavor.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix the batter just until the dry ingredients are incorporated to keep the cupcakes light and fluffy.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter and egg are at room temperature for easier mixing.
- Chill the Frosting: Let the milk mixture cool before whipping it to ensure it’s smooth and fluffy.
- Pipe the Frosting: Use a piping bag for a professional look when frosting the cupcakes.
- Measure Accurately: Use a measuring cup for the flour and level it off with a knife for best results.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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This post was updated on 08/2024 with text adjustments, slight recipe changes, and new photos.
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Love this recipe! Thank you for sharing.
Question about the icing. Can I leave it out room temp on the muffins overnight?
Delicious! That frosting is bloody amazing 😍
My experience with this recipe: I felt like more description of the thickness of the milk flour paste would have been helpful – or some pics of it. Same with the batter – mine was very thick, and I thought – these are going to come out like banana bread muffins, and I was right. Probably should have added some milk. Also, pics or length of time listed for creaming the butter & brown sugar. I creamed the butter for a minimum of 15 minutes and it still retained a small amount of graininess – there had been no change in that for the last 5 minutes in the mixer so I decided it was as good as it was going to get. I initially made the milk flour part way too thick, it was gloopy. I added more milk in slowly after it cooled off and had it at about pancake batter thickness. I added it into the mixer with the butter and it was immediately whip cream like as stated for the desired texture. All the other comments mentioned letting it whip for like 30 minutes so maybe my milk was still too thick? It was perfect but then I made it split by adding just a bit more milk because I thought maybe it needed it so it could whip longer, ugh.
I’ve never tried so I can’t say for sure.
Would this recipe translate well into a layer cake?
Follow – up on frosting. As soon as I posted the question about the frosting, I checked my stand mixer, and voila! It looks like whipped cream!
For the frosting, how thick should the milk-flour mixture be before removing from heat? Also, you state the mixing process can take awhile….do you have an approx time frame? I’ve had mine going in my stand mixer for 1/2 hour and it still looks like soup. 🙁
Delicious. I was concerned about the lack of oil, but the bananas worked very well. The frosting recipe was a new technique for me, but it’s so creamy! This got a very enthusiastic thumbs up from my adult son. This is a keeper!
Best cupcakes ever!!!
Nope, the mashed bananas make up for it.
No butter or oil?
Best way to use overly ripe bananas!! YUM!! Brown sugar frosting delicious!!
No, since they are a huge part of the recipe, it needs the bananas. However, you can make the frosting separate and use that on any desserts you wish.
can i make these without bananas?
Can I use the whip attachment when making the frosting