You will love these super soft and subtly spiced banana cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. To ensure the best results, use sour cream, buttermilk, and extra-ripe bananas—these power ingredients make all the difference in this cupcake recipe.
I originally published this recipe in 2017 and have since added new photos and more success tips, and now include a touch of baking powder for a lighter, less dense cupcake.
This banana cupcake recipe is a scaled down version of (my absolute very favorite!) banana cake. It boasts a super-moist texture, a soft yet dense crumb, and wonderfully rich banana flavor with a hint of cinnamon.
And, using the proportions and ratio of ingredients below, produces truly perfect banana cupcakes.
One reader, Britt, commented: “This is my go-to recipe when I have overripe bananas. The cupcakes are seriously so good and the cinnamon cream cheese frosting takes them to the next level. I like to candy some pecans for an added crunch on top. Everyone who has tried them has raved about them. ★★★★★“
One reader, Lisa, commented: “Brought these gems to work for my coworkers and they were a hit! Several folks approached me to tell me they were the best banana cupcakes they had EVER had. Pretty amazing recipe. Big hit all the way around. Thank you Sally! ★★★★★”
Tell Me About These Banana Cupcakes
- Texture: These banana cupcakes aren’t as dense as banana muffins, but aren’t really as light as vanilla cupcakes. Instead, they land somewhere in the middle. You’ll love how moist the crumb is too—we have the butter, buttermilk, sour cream, and all the banana to thank for that!
- Flavor: Each bite includes banana, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, and vanilla. (Some of the best flavors in baking!) It all pairs so nicely with the tangy cinnamon cream cheese frosting on top.
- Ease: Besides mashing the bananas, which is even easier if you use your mixer, the entire process is simple and straightforward. If you make your own buttermilk substitute, there is one extra step. See recipe Note below.
- Time: Set aside about 2 hours to complete this recipe, which includes prepping, baking, cooling, and decorating.
Don’t Skip These Key Ingredients
Here’s an overview of the ingredients you need and why each is important.
- Flour: All-purpose flour serves as the base of these banana cupcakes. Don’t use cake flour because it’s too light to support the banana.
- Baking Soda + Baking Powder: These leaveners helps the cupcakes rise. If you’re interested in learning about the science behind these magic ingredients, see Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda.
- Bananas: You need 1 and 1/2 cups (345g) of mashed banana, which is about 4 medium or 3 large bananas. Make sure the bananas are very ripe because more brown spots = sweeter banana flavor.
- Butter: For that unparalleled buttery flavor! When you cream butter with sugar, you’re creating structure and incorporating air for a lighter, springier crumb.
- Brown Sugar: We love the mix of both brown sugar and granulated sugar in these cupcakes. Plus, the brown sugar adds more moisture.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream creates a moist and tender crumb.
- Buttermilk: For best taste and to ensure proper rising, use buttermilk. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, see the recipe notes for a DIY buttermilk substitute.
You’ll also need eggs and a few flavoring ingredients.
Can I Use Frozen Bananas?
Yes, frozen and thawed bananas work in this recipe and you can read more about how to freeze & thaw bananas for baking if you’d like. Two important things to remember:
Strain off excess liquid. As bananas thaw, they let out a lot of liquid, which can throw off the wet ingredients in any baking recipe. I always recommend draining off most or all of that excess liquid before mashing and measuring them for your recipe.
The riper the banana, the better. When you bake with bananas, you want to use brown, spotty super-ripe ones.
Success Tips for Banana Cupcakes
- Easy Mash: My team and I make a lot of banana treats including banana bread, chocolate banana bread, and whole wheat banana pancakes, and here’s our best tip: mash the bananas using your mixer. Peel and break apart the bananas, then place inside your mixing bowl and turn the mixer on to medium-high speed. If using a stand mixer, either the paddle or whisk attachment work for this. A blender or food processor works as well. Mashing bananas by hand with a fork works too, but takes a little arm muscle and extra time. Transfer the mashed bananas to a separate bowl—don’t even wash the mixer bowl. Just place the butter/sugars inside and begin creaming as the recipe instructs. Super simple.
- Don’t overfill: Fill your cupcake liners only 2/3 full to avoid the batter spilling over the sides and baking into sad mushroom tops. This recipe makes enough batter for 18 cupcakes, so line a second muffin pan with 6 liners, or you can bake in batches.
- Room temperature: All refrigerated items should be brought to room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. If you’re interested, feel free to read more about why room-temperature ingredients are important in baking.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
We’ll pair these banana cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Cinnamon and banana are a natural pairing and 1/2 teaspoon of the spice is the perfect amount in this frosting recipe. (Not too much, not too little!) It’s crazy how such a tiny addition to regular cream cheese frosting can make such a flavorful difference. This frosting would also be fantastic on top of snickerdoodle cupcakes!
Bonus: this frosting pipes beautifully. For the pictured cupcakes, I used piping tip Ateco #826, the same one I used on these pretty pink strawberry cupcakes.
Other frostings we love: If cream cheese frosting isn’t your thing, traditional vanilla buttercream, chocolate buttercream, Nutella frosting, peanut butter frosting, salted caramel frosting, or even chai spice buttercream frosting all pair beautifully with banana cupcakes.
For an optional garnish, I love topping these cupcakes with a sprinkle of crushed vanilla wafers (a nod to banana pudding!) and a banana slice:
Description
Top these moist, dense-yet-still-soft homemade banana cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. To guarantee the best results, use sour cream, buttermilk, and extra ripe bananas–these power ingredients make all the difference in this spiced cupcake recipe.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan (or bake in batches) with 6 liners—this recipe makes about 18 cupcakes. Set aside.
- Make the cupcakes: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until creamed together, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Add the eggs, sour cream/yogurt, and vanilla extract, then beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the mashed banana. (Buttermilk is in next step.)
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour in the buttermilk until combined. Do not overmix. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no dry flour pockets at the bottom of the bowl.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the liners—fill only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For around 36 mini cupcakes, bake for about 11-13 minutes, same oven temperature.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pan set on a cooling rack for 20 minutes, then remove them from the pan and return to the rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar, the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add the extra 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar (I usually add it).
- If desired, to help ensure the frosting holds piped shape, refrigerate the bowl of frosting for at least 20 minutes. Frost cooled cupcakes. For the pictured cupcakes, I used piping tip Ateco #826. I also like Ateco #808 piping tip for cream cheese frosting. Instead, you can skip the piping tips and use a knife or icing spatula to spread on the frosting. Garnish with banana slices and crushed Nilla Wafer cookies, if desired.
- Cover leftover cupcakes tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend a cupcake carrier for storing and transporting decorated cupcakes.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Cupcakes can be made ahead 1 day in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature. Frosting can also be made 1 day in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Leftover cupcakes keep well covered tightly in the refrigerator for 3 days. Frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Ateco #826 Piping Tip | Cupcake Carrier
- Frozen Bananas: You can use thawed frozen bananas in this recipe. Thawed bananas are extra wet, so drain off as much of the excess liquid as you can before mashing. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking.
- Room Temperature: All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read more on why room temperature ingredients are important.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your own DIY buttermilk substitute if needed. Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1/2 cup. (In a pinch, lower fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cupcakes won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- Update in 2025: To slightly increase the rise, I added 1/2 teaspoon baking powder to the recipe, as reflected above.
