The Best Moist Small Batch Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate or Cream Cheese Frosting

Indulge in these incredibly moist and utterly delicious Banana Cupcakes, crafted from scratch with the magic of just one overripe banana. Whether you crown them with a rich chocolate buttercream or a luscious cream cheese frosting, you’re in for a truly heavenly pairing that will delight your taste buds.

The Story Behind These Beloved Banana Cupcakes

It’s a fun fact that the original version of this delightful banana cupcake recipe dates back all the way to February 2012! Over a decade later, these cupcakes remain a timeless favorite, beloved for their perfect balance of flavor and tenderness.

However, as recipes evolve and photography techniques advance, the old photos just weren’t doing this fantastic recipe justice. That’s why I decided to give them a fresh new look, reshooting them to showcase just how deliciously moist and appealing these homemade banana cupcakes truly are. I wanted to ensure that no one would miss out on the pure joy of biting into one of these small batch banana treats.

Why This Small Batch Banana Cupcake Recipe Stands Out

These banana cupcakes share the same incredible, tender batter as my popular small banana cake, scaled down to create a perfect small batch of cupcakes. This recipe is designed to use just one overripe banana, making it ideal for those times you have a single lonely banana sitting on your counter, begging to be transformed into something spectacular.

Not to be confused with small batch banana muffins or mini banana bread, these are distinctly cupcakes, featuring a wonderfully tender cake crumb, much like my beloved banana snack cake. They are typically frosted with my amazing small batch chocolate frosting, which is a match made in heaven.

Thanks to the magical combination of perfectly mashed overripe banana and rich brown sugar, you won’t need any extra ingredients like sour cream to achieve maximum moistness. All you truly need are basic pantry staples and that one wonderfully brown, overripe banana. It’s the perfect solution for using up those bananas before they go bad, turning them into a delightful treat rather than waste.

Essential Ingredients for Your Perfect Banana Cupcakes

Creating these incredibly moist banana cupcakes requires a handful of simple, readily available ingredients. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need to make your small batch banana cupcake recipe a success:

• All-Purpose Flour: This provides the necessary structure for your cupcakes, ensuring they hold their shape beautifully while balancing the liquid ingredients for a perfect crumb.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These are your essential leavening agents. Using both creates a balanced rise and helps stabilize the batter, resulting in a light and fluffy texture.
• Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg: These warm, aromatic spices elevate the flavor profile, adding a cozy, comforting, and irresistibly “homey” essence to your banana cupcakes.
• Salt: A crucial ingredient! Just a pinch enhances all the other flavors, preventing a bland batter and making every bite more vibrant.
• Unsalted Butter: When creamed, butter incorporates air and helps the batter rise from its steam as it melts during baking. This process traps carbon dioxide, which is key to creating that wonderfully tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb texture. Make sure it’s softened to room temperature for optimal creaming.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake and contributes to a beautiful golden-brown caramelization on the exterior, adding depth of flavor.
• Brown Sugar (packed): This is a secret weapon for extra moisture! Its molasses content not only adds a deeper, richer flavor but also keeps the cupcakes incredibly soft and moist. Ensure it’s soft and moist, not dry and crumbly.
• Large Egg: Acts as a binder, adds structure, and contributes to the richness and moistness. Always use a standard large egg at room temperature for the best emulsion.
• Overripe Banana: The star of the show! Use a really brown or even black-spotted banana. The riper the banana, the sweeter and more intense its flavor will be, which is crucial for outstanding banana cupcakes. Please measure the mashed banana as sizes vary.
• Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla complements and amplifies the natural banana flavor, adding another layer of aromatic warmth.
• Whole Milk: The fat content in whole milk is essential for achieving ultimate moistness. Do not use 2% or skim milk, as the lack of fat will result in a drier cupcake. Ensure it’s at room temperature.

Step-by-Step Guide: How To Make These Delicious Banana Cupcakes

Making your one-banana cupcake recipe is surprisingly easy and incredibly rewarding! Follow these simple steps for perfect results every time:

1. Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour to remove any lumps, then stir in the baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Whisk briefly to ensure everything is evenly distributed.
2. Cream Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, using an electric mixer (with a paddle attachment if using a stand mixer), cream together the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color, typically about 1-2 minutes. This step incorporates air, which is crucial for a tender crumb.
3. Add Egg, Banana, and Vanilla: Scrape down the sides of your bowl with a spatula to ensure all ingredients are incorporated. Beat in the room temperature large egg, followed by the mashed overripe banana and vanilla extract. Continue beating until everything is well combined and smooth, scraping the bowl once more if needed.
4. Alternate Wet and Dry: Reduce your mixer speed to the lowest setting. Gradually add the dry ingredients alternately with the whole milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, adding the flour mixture in three additions and the milk in two additions. Mix just until combined after each addition; be careful not to overmix, as overdeveloping the gluten will result in dense, tough cupcakes.
5. Fill Cupcake Liners: Line a standard cupcake pan with 8 paper liners. Fill each cupcake liner evenly. A great tip is to use a #40 cookie scoop (or an ice cream scoop) to add one big scoop of batter to the bottom of each liner first, then go back and finish filling each one with the remaining batter until they are about two-thirds full. This helps ensure uniform size.
6. Bake to Perfection: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, with perhaps a few moist crumbs attached. Avoid opening the oven door too early, as this can cause them to sink.
7. Cool Completely: Once baked, remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They must be fully cooled before frosting.

Storage Tips for Your Banana Cupcakes:

Store buttercream frosted cupcakes at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can refrigerate them for up to 1 week. If you’ve chosen to top your banana cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting, they must be refrigerated due to the dairy content. For best taste, allow refrigerated cupcakes to come to room temperature for 15-30 minutes before serving. Unfrosted cupcakes can also be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting.

The Perfect Finish: How To Frost Your Banana Cupcakes

The beauty of these moist banana cupcakes is how versatile they are when it comes to frosting! While I personally love to decorate mine with a decadent chocolate frosting, the possibilities are truly endless to match your cravings.

For those who adore buttercream, you might consider my rich peanut butter frosting for a delightful sweet and salty contrast, or a fragrant cinnamon buttercream to enhance those warm spices in the cake.

If you’re in the mood for the classic pairing of banana cupcakes with a tangy cream cheese frosting, I’ve got you covered with several fantastic options: my go-to small batch cream cheese frosting, a rich chocolate cream cheese frosting, or even a unique peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Each offers a distinct flavor profile that beautifully complements the banana base.

Explore More Small Batch Cupcake Recipes

If you’ve fallen in love with the convenience and deliciousness of small batch baking, be sure to check out more of my favorite small batch cupcakes. They’re perfect for satisfying cravings without making dozens of treats!

• Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes
• Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes
• Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Coconut Cupcakes
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Banana Cupcakes

Yield:
8 cupcakes

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
25 minutes

Total Time:
40 minutes

These moist and delicious Banana Cupcakes are made from scratch using one overripe banana. Top them with chocolate buttercream or cream cheese frosting for a heavenly pairing.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar (soft and moist, not dry and crumbly)
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1/2 cup mashed banana (roughly 1 medium banana – please measure as bananas vary greatly in size)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons whole milk, room temperature (do not use low fat or fat free or it won’t be as moist)

Pick One To Decorate

• Chocolate Buttercream
• Peanut Butter Buttercream
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
• Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F (175°C). Line a cupcake pan with 8 paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, sift the flour then stir in baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
3. In another large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed (using paddle attachment for stand mixer), beat together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and creamy, about 1 minute.
4. Scrape down the bowl then beat in the egg, banana, and vanilla.
5. Turn the mixer down to the lowest speed possible then add the flour mixture alternating with the milk, adding the flour in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions (begin and end with dry ingredients). Do not overmix or you’ll have a dense cake.
6. Transfer the batter evenly to the liners. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (few crumbs ok) Cool completely.
7. Decorate with frosting of choice.

   Store frosted cupcakes at room temperature for up to 3 days (buttercream only) or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week (buttercream and cream cheese).

   For best results, let the refrigerated cupcakes sit at room temperature 15-30 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Want to make a regular cake? Check out my Small Banana Cake.
• Love this recipe? Check out my full list of Small Batch Cupcake Recipes including chocolate cake, yellow cake, and more.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• #40 Cookie Scoop
• Cupcake Pan
• Paper Liners

Did you make this recipe?Let me know what you think! Rate the recipe above, leave a comment below, and/or share a photo on Instagram using #HITKrecipes

First published February 19, 2012