Soft, moist & fluffy banana cupcakes with a luscious chocolate peanut butter frosting. Switch it up with your favourite cream cheese frosting for a classic flavour combination!
Banana cupcakes and cakes are such warm and comforting desserts, always bringing a satisfying smile to anyone who eats them. Banana desserts are definitely one of my favourites. When they come in the form of soft, moist cakes topped with a luscious, creamy frosting, I have no self control.
This recipe is my go-to for simple banana cupcakes. They’re soft, moist, banana-y and easy to make especially since the recipe calls for pantry staple ingredients.
This is also my favourite frosting flavour combination. Chocolate and peanut butter is truly my weakness.
Let’s break down the recipe a little:
- Straight forward cupcake recipe using the standard creaming method.
- Pantry staple ingredients.
- Cake is super soft and moist. The banana flavour pairs well with endless frosting flavours.
- Batter is thick enough for add-ins such as nuts , toffee bits or chocolate chips.
Important Ingredients
- Baking Soda: Since we’re using bananas and sour cream, we need the baking soda/bicarbonate of soda to react with the acidity of those ingredients.
- Spices: According to how you like, feel free to add in any spices like cinnamon, nutmeg etc.
- Soft brown sugar: the addition of brown sugar adds a delicious caramel undertone to the cakes as well as extra moisture.
- Vanilla extract: the combination of vanilla and banana is a match made in heaven so make sure to add a decent amount of good quality vanilla extract.
- Sour cream: sour cream is interchangeable with buttermilk (real buttermilk not substitutes) and is crucial for the overall cake crumb. It adds so much undeniable moisture as well as a delectable soft crumb.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting
This frosting is amazing. It’s made from one batch of frosting so no need to make two different frostings. It starts with my classic vanilla buttercream which can be made in advance and stored in the fridge. Once the buttercream is ready, we divide it into two and add cocoa powder to one, and peanut butter to the other.
Achieving the swirled effect is super easy too! All you need to do is add a log of chocolate frosting beside a log of peanut butter frosting. I use cling film/plastic wrap to make this easier. Roll the frosting up then add into a piping bag with your favourite piping tip. As you start to frost the cupcakes, the two frostings become more and more distinct giving that gorgeous swirl.
These cupcakes are so delicious and I’m sure this banana cupcake recipe will become a staple.
If you make this or any of my other recipes, please make sure to tag me on Facebook or Instagram @dutchbakerblog. I love to see your bakes!
Banana Cupcakes With Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting
12 – 15
Cupcakes20
minutes17
minutes37
minutesThis recipe can make a 9 inch square cake.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (190gms) all purpose/plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 heaping teaspoon salt
Optional: 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoom cinnamon powder
1/2 cup (100gms) white sugar
1/4 cup (50gms) soft brown sugar
1/2 cup (100gms) softened unsalted butter
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large ripe bananas, mashed (1 cup)
1/2 cup (125gms) sour cream*
- For the frosting
1 cup (200gms) salted softened butter
1 1/2 cups (190gms) icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 heaping cup (85gms) peanut butter
1 tablespoon heavy/whipping cream
1/4 cup (25gms) cocoa powder
1 tablespoon evaporated milk (whole milk can be used too)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Line a muffin tray with cupcake cups.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt until well combined. Set Aside.
- In a separate, large mixing bowl, add the butter and the white and brown sugar. Beat the mixture on medium speed until mixture is creamy and lighter in colour, 1 – 2 minutes.
- Add in the eggs one at a time whisking well between each addition. Make sure each egg is well mixed in before adding the next. Add in vanilla and whisk until incorporated.
- Add in the mashed bananas and beat well. Add in half of the flour mix, then the sour cream followed by the remaining flour mix. Beat batter only until just combined. I recommend using a spatula for this part as you don’t want to over mix the batter.
- Divide batter between cupcake cups taking care not to over fill the cups (2/3 full is good). Bake cupcakes until toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, 16 – 18 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 10 – 15 minutes before placing in an airtight container to continue cooling completely.
- For the frosting
- Place butter in bowl and whisk on high speed using an electric whisk. The trick for great buttercream is to really whisk the butter well until its really fluffy and pale, almost white in colour. This can take up to 10 minutes but its a necessary step.
- Add in the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, whisking for about 30 seconds between each addition. Add in the vanilla and beat smooth.
- Divide the batter into 2 bowls. Add the cocoa powder and cream into one bowl of buttercream and whish smooth. Add the peanut butter and milk into the second bowl of buttercream and whisk well.
Notes
- *Sour cream can be substituted with real buttermilk. If you don’t have sour cream you can use Greek yoghurt.
- Recipe by the dutch baker.