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.
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
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.
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!
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.
You can store leftover cupcakes in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
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.
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.
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.
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!
- This banana upside down cake is moist, rich, and impressive but so easy to make!
Banana Cupcakes
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 the cupcake 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!
Michelle Shaw says
Where is the frosting recipe? I can’t find it anywhere. Thanks!
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!