Oh, you know what I love most? That unbeatable feeling when you pull something truly homemade out of the oven. It’s not just about the taste, it’s the whole vibe, right? And my Banana Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting? They are seriously the champions of my kitchen. They’re impossibly moist, packed with that wonderful banana flavor, and then topped with a swirl of dreamy, tangy cream cheese frosting. Honestly, I remember making these for the first time when I was trying to use up a bunch of overripe bananas, and my family practically inhaled them! They’ve been a staple ever since, perfect for any occasion, or, let’s be real, just Tuesdays.
Why You’ll Love These Banana Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
Seriously, why wouldn’t you love these?:
- They’re ridiculously easy to whip up – perfect for when that sweet craving hits!
- The banana flavor is just SO good, and the texture is unbelievably moist.
- That tangy, creamy cream cheese frosting? It’s the perfect partner for the sweet banana.
- They look super impressive, but honestly, they’re practically foolproof to make.
Ingredients for Banana Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
Alright, let’s talk ingredients! This is where the magic really starts. For the most delightfully moist banana cupcakes, you’ll need:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (super important for creaming!)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (I’m talking REALLY ripe, like speckled-all-over ripe!)
- ½ cup buttermilk (if you don’t have any, a little trick is to mix ½ cup milk with ½ tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes!)
And for that dreamy cream cheese frosting you’ve been picturing:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (let it sit out with the butter!)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar (sifted is best if you want it super smooth)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment Needed for Banana Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
Okay, so to make these beauties happen, you don’t need anything too fancy. Just your trusty kitchen staples! You’ll definitely need a 12-cup muffin tin and some cupcake liners – the pretty ones always make me smile! You’ll also want at least a couple of mixing bowls, a good whisk, and an electric mixer (handheld or stand) will make creaming that butter and sugar so much easier. Oh, and don’t forget a trusty spatula for scraping those bowls clean and a wire cooling rack so your cupcakes can cool perfectly before they get smothered in frosting!
How to Make Perfect Banana Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
Alright, let’s get baking! Making these amazing banana cupcakes is honestly a breeze, and the frosting? Pure heaven. We’ll start with the cupcakes, then whip up that dreamy frosting, and finally, bring them all together. You really can’t mess this up, trust me! If you’re a banana lover, you might also love these banana oatmeal muffin bites or this amazing moist banana bread coffee cake!
Preparing the Banana Cupcake Batter
First things first, get that oven preheated to 350°F (175°C) and line your muffin tin with those cute liners. Now, in a medium bowl, just give your flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg a good whisk together – this just kinda makes sure everything’s distributed evenly. Over in your big bowl, you’re going to cream together the softened butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. This step is key for a tender cupcake! Then, beat in your eggs one at a time, followed by that lovely vanilla. In a little separate bowl, mash up your super-ripe bananas and mix them with the buttermilk. Now, here’s the part to pay attention to: you’ll gradually add your dry ingredients to the wet stuff, alternating with the banana-buttermilk mix. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Just mix until it’s *just* combined. Seriously, don’t go crazy mixing here, or your cupcakes might get tough!
Baking and Cooling Your Banana Cupcakes
Once your batter is ready, just spoon it into those prepared cupcake liners, filling them about two-thirds of the way full. They’ll puff up nicely! Pop them into your preheated oven and bake for about 18 to 22 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when a wooden skewer or toothpick poked into the center comes out clean – no wet batter! Let them hang out in the muffin tin for a few minutes to firm up a little, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This part is super important because trying to frost warm cupcakes is a recipe for a melty mess!
Crafting the Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting
While those cupcakes are doing their thing cooling down, let’s whip up the frosting! Grab another nice big bowl and beat your softened cream cheese and softened butter together. You want it to be super smooth and creamy, no lumps allowed! Slowly, gradually, start adding in your powdered sugar, beating on low speed at first (to avoid a sugar cloud explosion!), then increasing the speed until it’s all combined and wonderfully creamy. Stir in that teaspoon of vanilla extract for an extra hit of flavor. If it seems a little too thick, you can always add a tiny splash of milk, but usually, this ratio is just perfect. Check out this easy frosting recipe for some foolproof frosting tips if you want!
Assembling Your Banana Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
Okay, the moment of truth! Once your banana cupcakes are totally, completely cool, grab your frosting and a spoon or piping bag. Generously swirl or pipe that glorious cream cheese frosting onto each cupcake. Make it pretty, make it generous – you deserve it!
Tips for the Best Banana Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosing
Alright, so you want those banana cupcakes to be absolutely *perfect*, right? I’ve learned a few little tricks over the years that really make a difference. First off, for the absolute best flavor and moisture, you’ve gotta use super ripe bananas. I’m talking the ones that are mostly brown and speckled all over – they’re sweeter and mash up so much easier! Also, make sure your butter and cream cheese for both the cupcakes and the frosting are truly softened. Not melted, just soft enough that you can easily make an indent with your finger. It makes creaming them together so much smoother, which means a lighter, fluffier texture for everything. And remember what I said about not overmixing the batter? That’s a biggie! Just mix until everything is *just* combined, no more. It keeps those cupcakes from getting tough. If you love banana recipes, you should totally check out my zucchini banana bread too!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Let’s chat about a couple of these ingredients because they really do make a difference! For the bananas, you really want them to be *super* ripe – the browner and spottier, the sweeter and more flavorful they’ll be, and they mash up beautifully. If you find yourself out of buttermilk, don’t sweat it! Just grab about a cup of regular milk and stir in a tablespoon of either white vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, and poof! You’ve got yourself a buttermilk substitute. If you happen to need dairy-free options, you can often find dairy-free cream cheese and butter alternatives that work pretty well in a pinch!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Got leftovers? Lucky you! Since we’ve got that luxurious cream cheese frosting, it’s best to store these lovely banana cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll stay delicious for about 3-4 days that way. I don’t usually reheat them myself, as they’re pretty wonderful chilled, but if you prefer them at room temp, just let them sit out on the counter for about 20-30 minutes before digging in!
Frequently Asked Questions
Got questions about these banana beauties? I’ve got you covered! If you want to know more about how I run this kitchen, check out my about page! And if you have any other burning questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!
Can I make these banana cupcakes ahead of time?
Oh, absolutely! You can bake the cupcakes a day in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. I usually frost them closer to when I plan to serve them, but frosting them the day before is totally fine too, just keep them in the fridge! It’s just like with my other recipes; planning ahead is always a good idea!
What can I use if I don’t have buttermilk for the cupcakes?
No buttermilk? No drama! It’s super easy to make a substitute. Just take about a cup of regular milk (dairy or non-dairy works!), and stir in a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, and you’ll see it thicken slightly. It’s perfect for getting that tender crumb!
How do I prevent my banana cupcakes from sinking in the middle?
A sunken cupcake is a sad cupcake! Usually, this happens if your oven is too hot, or if you’ve overmixed the batter. Make sure you’re baking them at the right temperature (350°F or 175°C) and only mix until the ingredients are *just* combined. Also, try not to open the oven door too much while they’re baking!
Can I use frozen bananas instead of fresh?
You know, frozen bananas can work in a pinch, but I really prefer fresh, ripe ones. If you do use frozen, make sure they are completely thawed and drained of any excess water before you mash them up and use them in the batter. Fresh just gives you that best banana flavor, in my humble opinion!
Nutritional Information
Just a little heads-up, these numbers are estimates, okay? They can totally shift depending on the exact ingredients you use and how generous you are with that yummy frosting! But on average, one of these delightful banana cupcakes with cream cheese frosting clocks in at around 350 calories, with about 18g of fat (that’s the good stuff!), 48g of carbohydrates, and a sweet 45g of sugar. Enjoy every bite!
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Banana Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
- Total Time: 40 min
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Moist banana cupcakes topped with a rich cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
- ½ cup buttermilk
- For the Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the mashed bananas and buttermilk.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the banana-mish mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well combined and creamy. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them generously with the cream cheese frosting.
Notes
- Ensure your bananas are very ripe for the best flavor and moisture.
- For a smoother frosting, sift your powdered sugar.
- Store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
Keywords: banana cupcakes, cream cheese frosting, banana cake, easy cupcakes, homemade cupcakes, dessert recipe