Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

The best bit of banana bread, in cupcake form, with tangy frosting.

Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time40 mins
Yield12 cupcakes
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Before You Start

This is what to do with the two black bananas nobody's going to eat. The riper they're, the sweeter and more banana-flavoured the sponge, so don't be squeamish about spots. Cream cheese frosting keeps it from tipping into cloying.

Instructions

0 of 6 done

  1. Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F and line a 12-hole tin. Mash the bananas properly, until only a few small lumps are left.

  2. Whisk the melted butter into the brown sugar, then the eggs, sour cream and banana. It'll look slack and a bit unappealing at this stage.

  3. Fold in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt until the flour disappears. Don't beat it, or the cupcakes go dense and tunnelled.

  4. Fill the cases two thirds full and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the tops dome and spring back.

  5. Cool completely on a rack. Warm banana cupcakes are steamy and will melt the frosting instantly.

  6. Beat the butter until pale, work in the powdered sugar, then add the cold cream cheese and beat only until smooth. Pipe or swirl on top.

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💡 Baker's tips

  • No ripe bananas? Bake unpeeled yellow ones at 175°C for 15 minutes until the skins blacken, then cool and use. It's not identical but it's close.
  • Sour cream is the reason these stay moist for days. Yogurt works too, but it makes a slightly lighter, less rich crumb.

🔀 Make it your own

  • Fold ½ cup (85 g) chocolate chips or ½ cup (59 g) chopped walnuts into the batter.
  • Brown the butter first and add a spoon of maple syrup to the frosting for a caramel note.

📦 Storing & freezing

Refrigerate for 4 days. Unfrosted, they freeze for 3 months and defrost in about an hour on the counter.

❓ Frequently asked

How many grams is a cup of mashed banana?

About 225 g per US cup, which is roughly 2 large or 3 small bananas. Weighing beats counting, since banana sizes vary wildly.

Can I turn this into a loaf?

Yes. Bake the same batter in a 900 g loaf tin at 170°C / 340°F for 50 to 60 minutes, and cover the top with foil if it browns early.

Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.

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