Quick and easy banana cupcakes with piped peanut butter buttercream topped with banana chip and chopped peanuts.
Banana and peanut butter make a great team.
Need proof? Have a slice of peanut butter banana layer cake.
Toast slathered with creamy peanut butter topped with banana slices was one of my favorite after school snacks.
Let’s take those flavors and translate them into an easy to make cupcake!
Banana Cupcakes
Moist banana cupcakes topped with rich, creamy peanut butter buttercream.
It’s a wonderful treat anytime of the year.
What’s the difference between banana cupcakes and banana muffins?
The key distinction between cupcakes and muffins is frosting. Cupcakes are always frosted.
If you prefer banana muffins, try these banana blueberry muffins or banana raspberry buttermilk muffins.
Cupcake Ingredients and Substitutions
These cupcakes are super simple and easy to make. Use a stand mixer, electric hand mixer, or simply use a spatula.
It it vital to use RIPE BANANAS.
TIP: Use bananas with deep yellow skin spotted with brown freckles all over, or bananas that have already turned brown.
The brown spots indicate sugar content has risen. More spots means sweeter bananas!
The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavorful these banana cupcakes will turn out.
The best indicator of whether the bananas are ready for this recipe- you should be able to easily smash bananas with a fork.
While I recommend using buttermilk, any milk of choice will work.
You can also make “homemade buttermilk” by mixing together 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar with 1/2 cup cow’s milk.
The acidity in buttermilk helps to create the fluffy soft texture of the cupcakes.
Oil instead of butter ensures a moist crumb. Any neutral oil such as grape seed oil, avocado oil, and vegetable oil works.
Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
This creamy peanut butter frosting works best with store-bought homogenous smooth peanut butter. No-stir peanut butters like Skippy and Jif is recommended.
Use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer to beat the buttercream together.
To ensure smooth and creamy results use room temperature, softened butter!
Piping Buttercream
I use this open star piping tip (ateco #826). It has a 1/2-inch opening.
This piping tip is paired with an 18-inch piping bag. I recommend these disposable bags or this reusable decorating bag.
Optional Frosted Cupcake Garnishes and Toppings
Garnish frosted cupcakes with banana chips and chopped peanuts for extra crunch and textural variety!
Banana chips are deep-fried or dried banana slices. I prefer the deep-fried version because they are crispier!
Banana chips are often lumped in with the dried fruits and nuts section of the supermarket.
Or, if you have extra time, make you own banana chips!
Any kind of roasted peanuts are suitable. I recommend dry roasted peanuts, honey roasted peanuts, or candied peanuts.
Storage and Leftovers
For best results, enjoy frosted banana cupcakes the same day they are baked.
Keep frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
For longer storage (up to 3 days), store in an airtight container in the fridge. Warm to room temperature before eating.
Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream
Equipment
- electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- standard 12-cup muffin tin
- piping bag with medium star tip, optional
Ingredients
Banana Cupcakes:
- 150 grams granulated sugar (¾ cup)
- 68 grams grapeseed oil (⅓ cup), or other neutral flavored oil*
- 200 grams very ripe mashed bananas , about 2 medium bananas
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 165 grams all-purpose flour (1 ¼ cup)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt* or fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 115 grams buttermilk (½ cup), or milk of choice
Peanut Butter Buttercream:
- 226 grams unsalted butter (1 cup), softened, room temperature
- 345 grams confectioners' sugar (3 cups), also called powdered sugar
- 135 grams creamy peanut butter* (½ cup)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or fine sea salt
- 2 Tablespoon milk
Toppings:
- 12 pieces sliced banana chips
- 30 grams chopped roasted peanuts* (¼ cup)
Instructions
Banana Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tin. Set aside.
- In the bowl of stand mixer (or using an electric hand mixer), beat together sugar and oil. Add mashed bananas. Add egg and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add flour mixture to mixing bowl in three additions, alternating with buttermilk. Begin and finish with flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Evenly divide batter among lined muffin tin. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until cakes are set and done. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before unmolding. Transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature.
Peanut Butter Buttercream:
- In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using an electric hand mixer), beat butter until smooth.
- Once creamy, add half of confectioners' sugar.Mix until almost combined. Add peanut butter. Mix until incorporated.
- Add remaining confectioners' sugar, salt, and milk. Beat until smooth and creamy. Scrape down sides of the bowl to ensure thorough mixing.
Assembly:
- Prepare piping bag with a medium star tip. Fill piping bag about 3/4 full of peanut butter buttercream. Pipe large rosette over cooled cupcakes.*Alternatively, spread buttercream over cupcakes using a mini offset spatula or spoon.
- Garnish each frosted cupcake with banana chip and top with chopped peanuts.
Notes
- Neutral oil options include: grape seed oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, refined coconut oil.
- Ripe banana should be spotted. It should be easy to mash with a fork.
- Recipe uses Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. Diamond Crystal is less salty and dissolves quickly compared to Morton Kosher salt.
- DO NOT use table salt.
- Any milk of choice can be substituted for buttermilk. Or, “make” buttermilk by mixing 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar to 1/2 cup cow’s milk.
- For best results, use a self-stable homogenous (no-stir) smooth peanut butter like Skippy or Jif.
- Banana chips are deep-fried banana slices. There are sweetened and unsweetened versions.
- Any kind of roasted peanuts work include: dry roasted, honey roasted, or candied peanuts.
- Keep frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
- Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for longer storage, up to 3 days. Warm to room temperature before eating.
