by Ai Willis · This post may contain affiliate links · 24 Comments
These banana cupcakes are fluffy and moist, and full of banana flavor! This recipe is easy and only requires simple ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand.
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This recipe was originally published on April 16, 2016. It was updated with new photos and information on January 22, 2024.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need to make homemade banana cupcakes:
- Cake flour. It gives this banana cupcake recipe structure but keeps it light and tender. If you don't have cake flour, feel free to use all-purpose flour. The texture might not be as soft, but it'll be just as delicious.
- Salt. Use fine salt in this recipe.
- Baking soda & baking powder. The two leavening agents make these cupcakes nice and fluffy! The baking soda will react with the acidic homemade buttermilk, and the baking powder will react with the heat of the oven.
- Granulated sugar. Adds a clean sweetness. You can substitute it with cane sugar. You can also use light brown sugar but it will affect the color and flavor.
- Banana. These easy banana cupcakes are an excellent way to use up those overripe bananas in your kitchen! Make sure to use overripe bananas, as they have the most banana flavor.
- Oil. By using oil instead of butter, these cupcakes will stay light and moist, even when refrigerated. Use a neutral flavored oil like avocado oil or light olive oil.
- Milk. Although I used almond milk, you can use regular dairy milk. Because this banana cupcake recipe doesn't require eggs, using non-dairy milk will make vegan banana cupcakes!
- Apple cider vinegar. Adding a tablespoon of vinegar to your milk will turn it into homemade buttermilk that will add moisture to this moist banana cupcake recipe.
- Vanilla. Make sure to use pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
How to Make Banana Cupcakes
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 340°F (170°C) and line a muffin pan with paper liners.
Step 2: In a bowl, whisk together the cake flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and set aside.
Step 3: In a large bowl, combine the sugar, mashed bananas, oil, milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Step 5: Scoop out your batter evenly. Using an ice cream scoop makes this process super quick and mess-free!
Step 6: Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. If a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, it's done. Let them cool in the pan for a couple of minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 7: Decorate each banana cupcake with your favorite frosting!
Recipe Tips
- Room temperature ingredients. Having all your ingredients at the same temperature will help your batter come together easily with an even consistency!
- Don't overmix. Overmixing the batter will make your cupcakes come out dense. And we want light and fluffy cupcakes! So make sure you're only mixing the batter until it just comes together and you don't see any bits of dry ingredients.
- Don't overfill. Overfilling the cupcake liners will cause the batter to spill out and fall onto the bottom of your oven.
- Cool completely. Let your cupcakes cool completely so your frosting doesn't melt off after you decorate them!
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best frosting for banana cupcakes?
These banana cupcakes would be delicious with so many different frostings! I've made them with whipped ganache, cream cheese frosting, and cinnamon buttercream frosting and they were delicious. You can make peanut butter banana cupcakes by using peanut butter frosting.
What's the difference between banana cupcakes and banana muffins?
Aren't these banana muffins with frosting? No! There are a few differences between cupcakes and muffins, the first being texture: cupcakes are light, soft, pillowy, and tender while muffins are denser. Both can be sweet, fluffy, and moist, but there's an obvious difference in texture in my book. Second, cupcakes are a dessert, while muffins are appropriate for breakfast, brunch, or a snack and can also be savory at times. Finally, cupcakes should be topped with frosting!
Why did my cupcakes sink?
Cupcakes tend to deflate when you overmix the batter, so make sure to stop mixing when it's just combined. They'll also sink if you open the oven door before they're baked.
How do I store leftovers?
You can store leftover cupcakes in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Can I freeze these cupcakes?
Yes! Wrap each frosted or unfrosted cupcake with plastic wrap, put them in a freezer bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
Do I need to use overripe bananas?
Overripe bananas have the most banana flavor. If you don't have overripe bananas on hand, bake unpeeled bananas at 300°F (150°C) for 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure to cool them to room temperature before using them.
Can I add chocolate chips?
Yes! Add some chocolate chips or chopped chocolate to make chocolate chip banana cupcakes. You can also add chopped walnuts to make banana nut cupcakes. If you don't like mix-ins, you can add a dash of cinnamon instead to make banana cinnamon cupcakes.
Can this be made as mini cupcakes?
Yes! Use a mini muffin pan lined with liners, and they should take about 10 to 15 minutes to bake.
More Recipes to Try
- Looking for more cupcakes? Try my chocolate banana cupcakes, dairy free vanilla cupcakes, or these salted caramel cupcakes.
- This gluten-free banana bread and moist banana bread recipe are both my favorite banana recipes!
- If you're looking for vegan recipes, try my vegan apple cake or my vegan cinnamon rolls. Both super easy yet very delicious and impressive!
Banana Cupcakes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes minutes
Total Time: 33 minutes minutes
Servings: 18 cupcakes
Calories: 171kcal
Author: Ai Willis
These banana cupcakes are fluffy and moist, and full of banana flavor! This recipe is easy and only requires simple ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand.
Print Pin Rate
US Customary - Metric
Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup mashed banana
- ½ cup avocado oil
- 1 cup milk dairy or non-dairy
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 batch buttercream frosting
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C) and line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the cake flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, mashed bananas, oil, milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Divide your batter into thecupcake liners and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for a couple of minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Frost them with your favorite frosting!
Notes
Storing: You can store leftover cupcakes in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Wrap each frosted or unfrosted cupcake with plastic wrap, put them in a freezer bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
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Nutrition
Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 150mg | Sugar: 14g
More Cakes & Cupcakes
- Vegan Apple Cake
- Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
- Lemon Curd Cake
- Gluten-Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Reader Interactions
Comments
CakePants says
Bananas always make for such moist and delicious baked goods - and these cupcakes are no exception! They look fantastic. I love how you used natural ingredients to create such lovely decoration, too.
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Ai says
Thanks Mara! I love adding bananas to my desserts so I usually keep a couple peeled ripe bananas in the freezer 😉
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Ashley says
I agree those decorations are so cute and creative but still doable for a baking novice like me 😀
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Ai says
Thanks Ashley! The decoration is super easy! Much easier than piping out flowers with buttercream or rolling and cutting out fondant. Let me know if you try it out 🙂
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Situ says
Would it work without the coconut oil? I don't have any food grade oil just the type for hair/body.
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Ai says
Sure! Might be looser like ganache but it'll be just as delicious.
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Sarah says
These look so charming! I'd love a bite of one of these 🙂
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Ai says
Make them and take a big bite! And let me know how they turn out 😉
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Jhuls | The Not So Creative Cook says
These cupcakes are so beautiful. They look delicious, too. 🙂 I am happy to see you at Fiesta Friday party. Have a lovely week. 🙂
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Ai says
Thank you Jhuls! I just happened to stumble upon Fiesta Friday this past weekend. What a fun community! So glad to have found it 🙂
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Angie | Fiesta Friday says
Those cupcakes are so adorable! Thanks for sharing them at Fiesta Friday! Welcome to the party, btw. I hope we'll see you again tomorrow! ?
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Ai says
Thanks Angie! 😉
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Beth says
I love everything about these!! Though I am going to try them with a gluten-free baking mix instead of the cake flour, and we've removed canola oil from our diet, these will work for our new egg-free existence and I'm so happy to see your frosting recipe. Yum.
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Ai says
What's your favorite gluten-free baking mix? I think any neutral oil like grapeseed oil would work wonderful as a substitute! Hope you like them 🙂
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Deandra says
Great recipe, currently in the oven. I added a rum caramel sauce I made into the batter, and roasted cashews. Going to frost with a Madagascar vanilla "whipped cream" frosting with coconut cream. I am very very excited.
Just a note though, baking soda is listed twice, instead of soda and powder!!
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Ai says
Hi Deandra! I'm so glad you love this recipe, as it's one of my favorites 🙂 The addition of rum caramel and roasted cashews, and Madagascar vanilla frosting sounds INCREDIBLE!! I bet it was amazing! And thank you so much for catching that typo! Just fixed it 😉
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Maraika says
Delicious and fluffy. Should have made a double batch:)Reply
Ai says
Yay! So glad you loved it 🙂 Thank you so much for leaving a comment and rating!
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Maraika says
Will try these with Gluten Free flour. Any pre mixed from Supermarket. With wheat flour they are 20/10 🙂Reply
Ai says
Hi Maraika! Thank you so much for such a lovely comment and rating! So glad you loved them 😀 I haven't tried these with gluten free all-purpose flour (I should), but make sure you let the batter sit for about 20-30 minutes after you mix it, as gluten free flour tends to leave a sandy/grainy texture if you don't let it hydrate properly. Hope it works out!
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Michelle Shaw says
Where is the frosting recipe? I can’t find it anywhere. Thanks!
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Ai says
Hi Michelle! That.... is a good question! Apparently, my brain wasn't working in July 2020 when I updated this recipe because I didn't include the recipe for the cinnamon buttercream anywhere! I'm going to need to make the buttercream again before posting it to make sure it's perfect... but I would use 1 cup vegan butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Let me know if you try it!
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Rose says
They always seem to deflate after taking them out of the oven :/ but they are tasty though!Reply
Ai says
Hi Rose! Thank you so much for leaving a comment and rating! I'm so sorry to hear your cupcakes have been deflating. Cupcakes tend to deflate when you overmix the batter, so if you do try this recipe again, make sure to stop mixing when it's just combined. Hope this helps!
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