Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Banana Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting with banana chips on top

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These banana cupcakes with cream cheese frosting have the perfect banana flavor and a moist, fluffy cupcake crumb. There's a hint of cinnamon in the frosting with pairs perfectly with the sweet and mellow banana bread flavor.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Banana Cupcakes, Banana Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 18

Cooling 1

Total Time 2 30

Servings cupcakes

Calories 415kcal

Author Fiona Dowling

Equipment

muffin tin
muffin papers

Ingredients

Banana Cupcakes

½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
½ cup brown sugar packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup mashed bananas about 2-3 very ripe bananas
1 and ⅔ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
1 and ¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup buttermilk milk room temperature - see recipe substitution

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
4 oz block-style cream cheese room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
3-4 cups powdered sugar sifted
1 tablespoon cream if needed
banana chips to decorate, optional

Instructions

Banana Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with muffin papers.
In a large bowl beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until the mixture looks even.
Turn down the mixer to low and mix in the mashed bananas.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
With the mixer on a low speed, beat about ½ of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.
Then whisk in the milk. You can either do this by hand or with the mixer on a low speed.
Mix in the rest of the flour mixture. Stop mixing as soon as the dry ingredients are combined.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each about ⅔ to ¾ full. You'll likely end up with 12-14 cupcakes.
Bake 1 muffin tin at a time in the middle of your oven. They'll bake for about 17-20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the pan for at least 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to continue cooling.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

In large bowl beat butter until fluffy.
Add in the cream cheese (cut into chunks) and beat until combined.
Turn off the mixer and add in 2 cups powdered sugar, the cinnamon and vanilla extract. Beat together, starting with the mixer on a low speed.
Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time, until the desired sweetness is reached.
If the icing is too thick, beat in a tablespoon or two of cream.
Frost the cupcakes either using a piping bag (I used a 1M tip) or frosting with a knife. Optionally, sprinkle a little extra cinnamon on top of each cupcake and top with a banana chip.

Notes

Flour: Always measure flour properly. If using measuring cups, be sure to use dry measuring cups (not a kitchen glass, mug or liquid measuring cup). Whisk the flour first, then spoon into the dry measuring cup and level off the top.
Bananas: You'll likely need 2-3 brown bananas to get ¾ cup of mashed bananas.
Buttermilk: If you don't have buttermilk on hand, add 1 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then pour milk to the ½ cup line. Stir the mixture, then let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
Storage: Unfrosted cupcakes can be baked and cooled, then frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge. Cupcakes can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 day, or in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 cupcake with frosting, assuming the recipe yields 12 equal-sized cupcakes.

Nutrition