These chocolate banana cupcakes are perfectly moist with a chocolate flavor that’s not too rich and a delicious hint of banana bread flavor. They’re topped with creamy chocolate frosting for the perfect double chocolate cupcake.
**This post was updated March 21, 2022 with new photos and recipe tips**
Perfect Chocolate Banana Cupcakes
If you want a chocolate cupcake recipe that’s very chocolatey, not too rich, and deliciously moist – then these chocolate banana cupcakes are the perfect recipe. Adding mashed banana makes the cupcakes incredibly moist and adds an almost mellow banana flavor that complements the chocolate perfectly. They’re light, fluffy, and perfectly tender.
If you’ve tried my chocolate banana bread or chocolate banana muffins – this is the more dessert version of those recipe. They’re lighter, fluffier, a little sweeter and topped with frosting. 
The cupcakes are perfectly moist with a super soft cake crumb because we’re using oil, a combination of white sugar and brown sugar, mashed bananas, and buttermilk. They’re not the least bit greasy, and instead you end up with a chocolate cupcake with zero dry cake crumbs and a light & fluffy texture.
Baking Tips
- Make sure to use brown bananas. Brown/spotted bananas are key for the proper banana bread flavor and moist texture.
- This recipe uses ⅔ cup mashed bananas. You’ll need 1 very large banana, or about 1 ½ small bananas.
- I used Dutch-processed cocoa for a deeper chocolate flavor and darker color.
- This recipe will make about 14-16 cupcakes. When spooning the batter into your lined muffin tin, each should be about ⅔ to ¾ full. Do not spoon all the batter into only 12 cupcake liners if each is more than ¾ full.
- If you only want a very thin layer of frosting, you will definitely have leftovers. You can divide the recipe in half if you plan to frost the cupcakes using a knife to have a thin layer.
These chocolate banana cupcakes are the perfect version of my banana cupcakes. Moist, with a delicious chocolate flavor and chocolate buttercream on top. You really can’t go wrong.
And for more banana desserts, be sure to try:
Double Chocolate Banana Cupcakes
Equipment
- muffin tin
Ingredients
Chocolate Banana Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (125 grams)
- ½ cup cocoa powder (40 grams)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil (80 ml)
- ½ cup brown sugar (100 grams) light or dark works
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup mashed bananas (160 ml)
- ⅓ cup milk (80 ml)
Chocolate Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams) softened
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar (330 - 440) sifted
- ½ cup cocoa powder (40 grams) sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4-6 tbs whipping cream (60-75 ml) milk works too, but the frosting won't be quite as thick
Instructions
Make the Banana Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees and line 2 muffin trays with muffin papers. You'll end up with about 14-16 cupcakes
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate large bowl whisk together the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and milk. Then whisk in the mashed banana
- Carefully whisk the dry ingredients into the banana mixture.
- Then whisk in the milk.
- Spoon the batter into the lined muffin tin. Fill the muffin papers about ⅔ to ¾ full. You should end up with around 14-16 cupcakes in total.
- Bake 1 muffin tin at a time on the middle rack of the preheated oven. They'll need to bake for about 16-18 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with a few damp crumbs.
- Cool cupcakes in the muffin tin for at least 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Chocolate Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until fluffy
- Turn the mixer down to a low speed and slowly beat in 2 cups of the powdered sugar.
- Turn off the mixer and add in the cocoa, salt and vanilla extract. Slowly mix them into the frosting, starting with the mixer on a low speed and gradually increasing it.
- Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time alternating with 1 tablespoon whipped cream until the desired consistency and sweetness is reach.
- Frost each cupcake either using a piping bag and tip (I used a 1M tip) or with a knife.
Notes
- Bananas: Make sure to use brown, spotted bananas. You'll need 1 very large banana or about 1 ½ smaller bananas in order to get ⅔ cup mashed banana.
- Milk: I used 2%. 1% will work too, however, I prefer not to use skim milk because I find it isn't quite thick enough for baking.
- Frosting: If you only want a very thin layer of frosting on top of each cupcake (such as if you plan to frost them with a knife), feel free to only make a half batch of the frosting recipe.
- Storage: Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 2 months. Then thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 cupcake, assuming the recipe yields 14 equal cupcakes and all the frosting is used.
Nutrition
These were so moist and delicious! Turned out perfectly