Jump to Recipe

These moist and delicious Banana Cupcakes are made from scratch using one overripe banana. Top them with chocolate buttercream or cream cheese frosting for a heavenly pairing.


Unwrapped banana cupcake with chocolate frosting

Fun fact: This banana cupcake recipe dates back all the way to February 2012!

However, the photos were old and not doing the recipe justice, so I decided to reshoot them so you don’t miss out on how deliciously moist these banana cupcakes are.

Sharing the same batter as my small banana cake, they’re small batch banana cupcakes using one banana that is probably sitting on your counter right now.

Not to be confused with small batch banana muffins or mini banana bread, they have a tender cake crumb (like my banana snack cake and are frosted with my small batch chocolate frosting.

And thanks to the mashed banana and brown sugar, you don’t need extra ingredients like sour cream! All you need are basic pantry ingredients and one overripe banana.


Close up of banana cupcakes on white plate

Ingredients For Banana Cupcakes

Here’s what you need to make your one banana cupcake recipe:

  • All-Purpose Flour: Adds structure to your cupcakes as well as balances the liquid ingredients.
  • Baking powder and soda: Leavening agents so your cake rises. Using both helps stabilize the batter.
  • Cinnamon and nutmeg: Warm spices to make your cupcakes feel more homey
  • Salt: No bland batter here!
  • Butter: Helps the batter rise from its steam when it melts, trapping carbon dioxide as it bakes. This creates a tender crumb texture.
  • Granulated sugar: Sweetens and caramelizes the cake.
  • Brown sugar: Adds some extra moistness to the batter
  • Egg: Use a standard large egg at room temperature.
  • Banana: Use a really brown banana as it’ll give the best flavor.
  • Vanilla: Brings out the banana flavor even more
  • Milk: Use whole milk and not 2% or skim as you need the fat for moistness


Unwrapped banana cupcake made with one banana

How To Make Banana Cupcakes

Making your banana cupcakes recipe is very easy!

  1. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  2. Cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
  3. Beat in egg, vanilla, and mashed banana, scraping down your bowl to evenly mix everything.
  4. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, adding the flour in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions (begin and end with dry ingredients).
  5. Fill cupcake liners evenly. I like to add one big scoop with my #40 cookie scoop into the bottom of each liner then go back and finish filling each one with the remaining batter.
  6. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Store buttercream frosted cupcakes at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.

If using cream cheese frosting, cupcakes must be refrigerated.


Banana Cupcake cut in half

How To Frost Banana Cupcakes

As mentioned earlier, I decorated my banana cupcakes with chocolate frosting, but you can also use peanut butter frosting or cinnamon buttercream.

Or if you’re in the mood for banana cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, I have small batch cream cheese frosting, chocolate cream cheese frosting, and peanut butter cream cheese frosting.


Banana Cupcakes with buttercream frosting on a plate

More Small Batch Cupcake Recipes

If you’re looking for more small batch cupcakes, check out these favorites:


Banana Cupcake on white plate with banana
Close up of banana cupcakes on white plate

Banana Cupcakes

Yield: 8 cupcakes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

These moist and delicious Banana Cupcakes are made from scratch using one overripe banana. Top them with chocolate buttercream or cream cheese frosting for a heavenly pairing.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar (soft and moist, not dry and crumbly)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup mashed banana (roughly 1 medium banana - please measure as bananas vary greatly in size)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk, room temperature (do not use low fat or fat free or it won't be as moist)

Pick One To Decorate

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cupcake pan with 8 paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl, sift the flour then stir in baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  3. In another large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed (using paddle attachment for stand mixer), beat together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and creamy, about 1 minute.
  4. Scrape down the bowl then beat in the egg, banana, and vanilla.
  5. Turn the mixer down to the lowest speed possible then add the flour mixture alternating with the milk, adding the flour in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions (begin and end with dry ingredients). Do not want overmix or you'll have a dense cake.
  6. Transfer the batter evenly to the liners. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (few crumbs ok) Cool completely.
  7. Decorate with frosting of choice.

    Store frosted cupcakes at room temperature for up to 3 days (buttercream only) or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week (buttercream and cream cheese).

    For best results, let the refrigerated cupcakes sit at room temperature 15-30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know what you think! Rate the recipe above, leave a comment below, and/or share a photo on Instagram using #HITKrecipes

© Carla Cardello
Cuisine: American / Category: Cupcakes
First published February 19, 2012