Description
Moist banana cupcakes made with ripe bananas, sour cream, caramel sauce, and salted caramel cream cheese frosting for a rich bakery-style dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, optional
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2–3 overripe large bananas, puréed or mashed, about 1 and 1/2 cups
- Homemade caramel sauce
- Salted caramel cream cheese frosting
- Toffee bits, optional garnish
- Extra caramel sauce, optional garnish
- Fresh sliced bananas, optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a standard cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and optional cinnamon until evenly combined.
- In a stand mixer, beat the room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, and packed light brown sugar until light, fluffy, and creamy.
- Add the vegetable oil, sour cream, and pure vanilla extract, then mix until smooth and combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the batter looks smooth.
- Gradually mix in the dry ingredients on low speed, then add the banana purée and mix just until combined.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each liner about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Frost with salted caramel cream cheese frosting.
- Optionally core each cooled cupcake and fill with extra caramel sauce.
- Garnish with toffee bits, extra caramel drizzle, and fresh banana slices before serving.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots for the strongest banana flavor and natural sweetness.
- Do not overmix after adding the flour, or the cupcakes may become dense instead of soft and tender.
- Use room-temperature butter, eggs, and sour cream for a smoother batter and better texture.
- Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting so the caramel cream cheese frosting stays thick and creamy.
- Add fresh banana slices right before serving to prevent browning.
- For extra decadence, core the cupcakes and fill them with caramel sauce before frosting.
- Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
- Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months, then thaw and frost before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20–25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 34g
- Sodium: 230mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 75mg