These peanut butter banana cupcakes start with moist banana cupcakes that have a delicious banana bread flavor and soft cupcake crumb. Then they’re topped with peanut butter frosting for the perfect flavor combo. 
**This post was updated September 11, 2022 with new photos and recipe tips**
The Perfect Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
These peanut butter banana cupcakes are incredibly flavorful and moist without being too sweet. The cupcakes have a mellow banana flavor with hints of brown sugar and vanilla just like your favorite banana bread. They’re moist and tender like banana bread, but not as dense like you’d expect from a cupcake. Then the peanut butter frosting has a salty-sweet flavor that’s creamy and fluffy in texture.
If you love anything salty-sweet, or are looking for a cupcake recipe that’s packed with flavor, then this is the recipe for you.
The banana cupcakes are moist with a soft, fluffy crumb for a few main reasons:
- We’re starting with oil to keep them extra soft
- 2 eggs for tenderness
- Mashed bananas keep them moist (along with the delicious flavor)
- Adding a little milk makes them less dense.
Baking Tips & Tricks
- Whenever baking with bananas, be sure that they’re brown and spotty. Brown bananas have more moisture, which we need for baking, and provide a sweet and mellow flavor.
- The eggs and milk should be at room temperature for best results. Room temperature ingredients help you avoid overmixing the batter.
- Overmixing causes the cupcakes to be tough with air tunnels instead of tender.
- Note: there will be some lumps in the batter from the bananas. This is expected and totally normal.
- Use store bought smooth peanut butter. Do not use anything labeled natural, old-fashioned or anything where the oil sits on the top. Peanut butter that separates will lead to the frosting separating or being overly oily or too dry.
I frosted my cupcakes using a star tip and piping bag – I used a 1M star tip. I find you get a higher frosting to cupcake ratio using a piping bag – so I definitely like opting for the piping bag. But feel free to use a knife instead. Then you can top with a banana chip or even some chopped peanuts.
So if you love the combo of peanut butter and bananas, or if you’re looking for a super moist cupcake recipe – then I definitely recommend these peanut butter banana cupcakes.
And if you need more banana and peanut butter treats, then be sure to try:
Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12-cavity muffin pan
Ingredients
Banana Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (187.5 grams)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ⅓ cup oil (80 ml) vegetable or canola
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- ¼ cup brown sugar (50 grams)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup buttermilk (80 ml) see recipe notes for substitution
- ¾ cup mashed bananas (180 ml) about 2-3 very brown bananas
Peanut Butter Frosting
- ⅔ cup unsalted butter (150 grams) softened
- ½ cup peanut butter (125 grams) do not use natural or homemade
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar (220 - 330 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tbsp milk or cream (30-45 ml)
Instructions
For the Banana Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C or 170C fan forced) degrees and line muffin pan with papers.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
- In a large whisk together the oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla extract until no lumps remain. Then whisk in the milk
- Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until no lumps remain.
- Fold the mashed bananas into the mixture. Note: there will be lumps in the batter from the bananas.
- Spoon the mixture into the lined muffin pan - filled each about ⅔ to ¾ full.
- Bake for 16-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
For the Peanut Butter Frosting
- With an electric mixer beat the butter until soft. Then beat in the peanut butter.
- Add in 1 cup powdered sugar, the salt and vanilla extract. Beat them into the mixture, starting at a low speed.
- Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time, alternating with 1 tablespoon of milk/cream until the desired sweetness is reached.
- Frost the cupcakes with a knife or piping bag and tip (I used a 1M star tip).
Notes
- Bananas: Make sure the bananas are brown and spotty. Measure the bananas after mashing.
- Buttermilk: If you don't have buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice or white vinegar to a ⅓ cup milk (1% or 2%). Stir and let to stand for 5 minutes before using.
- Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen and thawed in the fridge overnight.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 cupcake with frosting, assuming that all frosting is used.
Yum, these were excellent. I loved the peanut butter frosting. I added mini chips to the cupcakes and topped with half a Reese’s cup. So good and my neighbors kids loved them!
I turned this into 1 giant cupcake for a friend’s soberversary…. beyond delicious!!
I’ve made this twice now and I cannot stop myself from eating way too many cupcakes. They are so good!! They’re the perfect amount of sweet and banana flavor.
I did make a substitution: coconut milk in lieu of buttermilk or cream. It was still wonderful. The frosting will be a keeper forever. The frosting is perfect right away, if you need to have it for the next day, refrigerating is all you need. It needed like a half hour to be soft again. And that was just from the fridge.