These Banana Cupcakes are my Grandpa’s recipe. Fluffy cupcakes are a fun and tasty handheld version of banana cake! Made from scratch, you’ll be buying extra bananas to make sure you have enough to make these (and of course banana bread & banana bars too)!
These cupcakes are a piece of my childhood… something we always had at Grandma and Grandpa’s! They actually started as a banana cake and are delicious topped with a fresh lemon buttercream frosting!
To Make Banana Cupcakes
Banana cupcakes are perfect for a family dessert, or a classroom or team party! The riper the bananas, the smoother your cupcakes will be and the sweeter banana flavor they will have. Remember to very gently fold in the beaten egg whites for the fluffiest results!
- Preheat the oven and prepare cupcake or muffin tins with pan release or paper cupcake liners.
- Beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form, this gives the fluffiest ever cupcakes.
3. Cream together the butter, sugar, yolks, and milk. Add remaining ingredients (per recipe below) and of course mashed bananas.
4. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites until fully incorporated and scoop into prepared muffin or cupcake tins.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Before decorating allow to completely cool.
My Favorite Frosting for Banana Cupcakes
I love the flavor combination of banana and a rich Chocolate Buttercream Frosting! But these banana bread cupcakes are so moist, they’re great without or with frosting!
For banana cream cupcakes, cut each cupcake in half and spread cream cheese frosting between them! All the deliciousness of frosting, without any of the mess!
How Long Do They Stay Fresh?
Banana cupcakes will keep in a zippered bag or an airtight container for about a week.
They freeze great, place in a freezer bag and they’ll keep a few months!
More Cupcakes & Muffins
- cream cheese frosting – amazing flavor & texture
- Banana Nut Crunch Muffins – incredibly moist & soft!
- Pumpkin Cupcakes – all the tastes of fall
- Blueberry Bran Muffins – hearty, wholesome & delicious!
- Easy Banana Bran Muffins – full of flavor!
Ingredients
- ¾ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup milk just shy of ¼ cup
- 2 eggs yolks separated
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 bananas ripe, mashed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Add lemon juice to bottom of measuring cup. Add enough milk* to make ¼ cup (of lemon juice and milk) and set aside.
- Beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar with mixer.
- Add in yolks and milk mixture.
- Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Slowly add to butter mixture.
- Stir in bananas. Then gently fold in egg white mixture.
- Pour muffin mixture into lined (or greased) muffin tin.
- Bake for 17-20 min or until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Is three bananas equal to one cup? The sizes very so much that it would help to know what the amount is in cups.
It is approximately 1 cup mashed Aida. If your bananas are slightly less or slightly more that is fine as well :)
No need to look elsewhere. This is an awesome recipe! The cupcakes turned out fluffy and moist. Highly recommended.
What flour do you use for this S.R or plain?
Thanks
All-purpose flour.
For the first time my banana cupcakes turned out amazingly moist, fluffy and delicious. All because of your great recipe! I love the addition of lemon and milk that cuts down on the sweetness and so my family loved it more. Surely, i will make this again. Thanks!
Ingredients in weight please? Thank you!
Hi Chandra, we aren’t able to provide the ingredients for this recipe in weight, but you can try this converter here! Have fun baking!
Delicious! These were so fluffy and your notes were helpful. When I have overripe bananas, I usually make banana bread, but I am so glad I tried something different. I added a basic glaze with a little almond extract and they were perfection. Going to share these with my neighbors. Thanks!
100% the best banana cakes I’ve ever had the joy of making. Our kids have always called banana muffins ‘banana cakes’….and these are flawless!
Can I substitute with oat flour?
Hi Carol, we have not tried this recipe with oat flour but maybe another reader can offer some insight. If you do make it with oat flour, we’d love to hear how it turned out!
Amazingly delicious recipe! We ended up subbing full fat plain greek yogurt thinned with a little milk for the wet and it worked beautifully! Topped with with fluffy peanut butter frosting and a drizzle of dark chocolate ganache. To die for! Best Birthday Cupcakes ever! Thank you so much!
Hello!
I’m wondering if this recipe allows for mix ins. My Dad loves banana bread but also peanut butter. I figure since it’s a popular combo could adding chopped Reese’s or Butterfinger work?
Thanks
We have not tried adding in mix-ins to this recipe, but that should work…and sounds so delicious Lindsey. You could also try a peanut butter icing!
Good recipe,but I wish you would measure the bananas. Bananas come in all sizes and just saying three makes me wonder if I have too much or too little.
A little less or a little more won’t affect the recipe, but 3 bananas mashed is approximately 1 cup Joan!
Made these yesterday…. DELICIOUS!!!!!! Quick question, I may try to use a mini cupcake pan next time, how long do you suggest I bake them for?
Hi Amy, we have only made these full size but if trying as mini cupcakes I would check them around 12-13 minutes and every minute or so after that.
The Banana Cupcakes were awesome…Loved them
My first attempt at banana cupcakes and it was a success! Cupcakes were indeed fluffy & delicious.. Thanks for this recipe!
May I know if I should sift or just whisk the flour in this recipe? I sifted mine and it turned out just delish.. thanks again!
We just whisked in the flour in this recipe Edna, but you can definitely sift it in if you prefer.
This really is the perfect recipe for fluffy, moist banana cupcakes.
very delicious. I generally don’t comment on a recipe if I messed with it…..but my husband wanted chopped walnuts, and my friend thought some vanilla bean paste was in order. And I felt the dough was too dense to fold anything into so most of the remaining milk mixture went in the bowl.
In the end it was very delicious and I would do it again.
This is a yummy way to use those ripe bananas….still deciding on an icing. Leaning peanut butter.
Delish! Thanks!
Oooh peanut butter sounds like a delicious option Peggy!
Best
Very good – very banana taste – folding in egg whites is worth it. Thank you for sharing
Wow! These were the best banana cupcakes I ever made (and the best I’ve ever eaten!!) I cut the sugar by a little bit (approximately 3 Tbsp shy of 1 cup). Thanks for a great recipe!
So fluffy and delicious! I usually make healthy, whole grain banana bread but sometimes you just want cake!
Worth the effort to fold in egg whites.
I don’t understand why recipe calls for 1/2C “sour” milk but you only use 4T. Why waste the extra 2T milk?
Hi Caeles, you could save the extra sour milk for another recipe or make a double batch!
I made this recipe and loved it! It was a huge hit! I paired it with a caramel buttercream. I already have requests to make it again.
The only thing I didn’t like was having to throw out half of the milk. Wish I would have caught that. Why not edit the recipe to 1/4 cup of milk with 3/4 tsp of lemon? This would prevent having to waste or “discard” the rest.
Ah! It’s good to stand ground. It’s also OK to edit the post when the time calls :) *milk amount is for a double batch
Doesn’t make sense does it? For a single batch recipe. We Love this recipe! and thanks to the commentators nothing was wasted :) I love the notion behind “saving the sour milk” truly I do, but let’s be honest Most households arent baking twice a week to use it up in time. Much love
Glad I was able to help and save you from waste. I wish someone had done the same for me. :)
Hi Kim, unfortunately, I think your first comment was not fully understood. My apologies for that. The original recipe from Grandpa was written that way, and honestly, it simply never occurred to us to update it! We will update the recipe to use only the amount needed. Thank you for letting us know. Much appreciated!
That’s what I usually do..make a double batch…but why did you still change the recipe..? It’s taken me 20 minutes thinking I’m reading it wrong….this is my go to and I almost know it by heart
Hi Tabatha, we updated the recipe to avoid having any leftover buttermilk.