Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream

People make banana baked goods for one of two reasons: one, they love banana treats and will wait patiently for their bananas to ripen in order to use them; or two, their bananas did not get eaten while they were in the edible range and they hate to throw away totally usable bananas. While I am frequently subject to a bunch of declining banana I truly am a member of the former group.  I am a big fan of banana bread, banana muffins and these sweet little banana cupcakes!a-banana-loner-webSo, what exactly differentiates a banana cupcake from a banana muffin? Good question! As I was working on this recipe I had to think extensively on what a good banana cupcake should look and taste like.  The following are the list of criteria I came up with:

 

  • Fluffy: I guess this would be the major defining characteristic of a banana cupcake. It should have a lightness to it that is not typically found in a banana muffin or bread.
  • Tender: muffins are usually tender (or they should be) but it is often accompanied by a heaviness. I wanted these banana cupcakes to be both light and tender.
  • Moist: yes, banana bread is generally moist but often too heavy moist to be called a cake. Here I wanted the crumb to be light, tender and moist.
  • Flavorful: banana bread is usually characterized by massive amounts of banana that flavor the sturdy loaves. I was seeking a full caramelized banana flavor but that was soft and mild enough to marry with a variety of tasty buttercreams.

a-banana-triplet-web

The banana cupcake recipe that resulted is light and moist and a soft beautiful golden color thanks to a dose of lemon juice that preserves the pale hue of the bananas.

a-banana2-webHere is a list of the things that I did to keep this pastry a cupcake and not a bread:

  • I pureed the bananas with lemon juice, sour cream and brown sugar. Pureeing the banana allows it to distribute evenly for a soft, light crumb and consistent flavor throughout. The acid in the lemon juice prevents the browning of the bananas and adds a bright flavor to the cupcakes. The sour cream and brown sugar add rich flavor and moisture to these cupcakes  .
  • I used a combination of all-purpose flour and cornstarch to gives the cupcakes a soft, light texture similar to that produced by cake flour.
  • I used all butter in this cupcake for a rich, warm flavor and lighter texture than that produced by oil.
  • I included both granulated and brown sugar for a pale, mild sweetness with caramel background notes.

I frosted these cupcakes with an incredible Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream that is based on a milk chocolate cream chesse ganche that is delicious. I used Luker Cacao Noche 40% Milk Chocolate. If you don’t think you like milk chocolate you need to try this one. It is like a dark milk chocolate with the milky sweetness you suspect followed by deep, rich undertones. Truly amazing! In fact I am eating a piece right now. Yum! Thanks Ayi from Pastry Portal for sending your incredible products!

a-banana-cut-web

The cream cheese and milk chocolate meld deliciously with the banana flavor in these cupcakes without overwhelming it. The flavors layer in your mouth in a delightful way!

Whether you have bananas that need to be used or are just willing to wait for their development give these cupcakes a try!

Happy baking!

Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 2 large ripe bananas (9 ounces or 255 grams total weight)
  • 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) lemon juice
  • 4 ounces (113 grams) brown sugar- ½ cup
  • 8 ½ ounces (240 grams) sour cream- 1 cup
  • 7 ounces (198 grams) unsalted butter, softened- 14 tablespoons
  • 7 ounces (198 grams) granulated sugar- 1 cup
  • 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
  • 15 ounces (425 grams) all-purpose/plain flour- 3 cups
  • ½ ounce (15 grams) cornstarch- 2 tablespoons
  • 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon (3 milliliters) salt
  • For the Buttercream:
  • 2 ounces (57 grams) cream cheese, softened
  • 2- 3 tablespoons (30-45 milliliters) hot water
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ounce (28 grams) corn syrup, glucose syrup or golden syrup*
  • 4 ounces (113 grams) high quality milk chocolate (I used Luker Cacao Noche 40% Milk Chocolate)
  • 8 ounces (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened- 2 sticks/1 cup
  • 1 ounce (28 grams) high quality cocoa powder (I used Pernigotti)- 2 tablespoons
  • 6-8 ounces (170-227 grams) confectioners/powdered sugar- 1 ½ -2 cups to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F (177 C) and line cupcake pans with 24 paper liners.
  2. Puree the bananas, lemon juice, brown sugar and sour cream until smooth. I used an immersion blender to do this but a blender or food processor would also work well.
  3. In a mixer bowl, beat butter and sugar on low for 1 minute until well blended and smooth. Add vanilla extract and blend on low. Add the eggs one at a time and beat on medium until blended. This mixture will look curdled but it is normal.
  4. Sprinkle in the dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt) and mix on low to barely incorporate. Add half of the banana mixture and mix on medium for 30 seconds until blended; scrape down bowl. Add the remaining banana mixture and mix on low until well blended, about 30 seconds. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes and then mix on low for 10 seconds.
  5. Divide batter between the liners using a ¼ cup ice cream scoop filling 2/3 full and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then move to a cooling rack. Cool completely before icing or store in an airtight container. The cupcakes can be frozen unfrosted. Makes about 24 cupcakes
  6. For the Buttercream:
  7. Whisk together softened cream cheese, 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) hot water, vanilla extract and corn syrup. Set aside.
  8. Heat the chocolate in a microwave safe container at 30 second intervals on high until melted and smooth. Whisk in cream cheese mixture until smooth. If the mixture starts to separate or seems excessively stiff add the extra tablespoon of hot water and whisk until smooth. This will depend on the type and quality of chocolate used. Cool the mixture to room temperature.
  9. Beat the butter and cocoa powder in a mixer bowl on high for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in the chocolate mixture. Once all the chocolate mixture is added beat for 2 minute on medium-high speed. Add the powdered sugar using the lesser amount for a less sweet icing and the greater quantity for a sweeter buttercream. Beat for 1 minute on medium-high until light and fluffy. Use the frosting relatively soon or you may need to rebeat it to refresh the texture of the buttercream. Makes about 4 cups.
  10. *If you cannot access these products you can leave it out and adjust the sweetness as needed with additional confectioner’s sugar.
https://www.cakepaperparty.com/2014/06/banana-cupcakes-chocolate-cream-cheese-buttercream/

 

22 thoughts on “Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream”

  1. Great looking recipe! I am assuming this frosting needs to be refrigerated. How long at room temp can it be kept?

    1. I left it out overnight and then ate it and it was fine. It is on the soft side so chill it if you want to keep it firm but otherwise I would leave it out for a day.

    1. Yes, you can absolutely make this as cake. I would still bake it at 350 but in two or three 8 inch pans (depending on how thick you would like your layers) for 25-30 minutes. If you guys are really banana fans you can add an additional banana as well. 🙂

  2. Hi Summer. If I wanted to freeze some of these unfrosted, what would be the best way? I have frozen cakes before and wrapped them in plastic wrap. Would I need to wrap each cupcake in plastic and then put in airtight container, or could I just put them in a container unwrapped. Would be freezing them for about 3 weeks. Thanks!

    1. I freeze them unwrapped in an airtight container and they do quite well. The tops will be a bit sticky when they thaw but it is not noticeable when they are frosted. 🙂

  3. Summer , I love your vanilla and chocolate cupcakes!

    Today I bought a bunch of bananas on sale. When I got home I decided to try this recipe. I didn’t buy ant sour cream or cream cheese, though

    Can I still make them? I have plain nonfat yogurt as a sub for sour cream. Could I use that and maybe some extra fat?

    For the frosting, I do have a milk chocolate bar. Could I use butter and powdered sugar with the melted chocolate bar ?

    Thank u

    1. Thank you! Yes, you can use the yogurt. Just use slightly less and add extra fat, maybe 3 tablespoons. And yes, the milk chocolate bar will work well in the recipe too. Yum!

  4. Oh Summer, I had a comedy of error with the recipe today!

    Ia bunch of errors but the recipe changing one is that I left out the sour cream. Didn’t notice until cupcakes in oven. I though the batter was firm!

    They look great and should be fine with icing. These are for repair people and thank yous.

    I didn’t tell you I turned the oven off in the middle, instead of the timer, did I? LOL

    THANKS FOR YOUR REPLY

    1. Oh no, one of those days! I have done the oven off/timer mishap myself more than once. And yes, frosting covers a multitude of sins. 🙂

  5. Well, Summer, today is another day!

    I was determined to try it again. The second time is easier. I did a half batch–used just the white for the 1/2 egg because it’s lighter.

    I think that I did the timer mishap after turning them around; I was talking to a friend about the sour cream and not paying enough attention.

    I have a picture of both batches. The one without sour cream is a muffin; the one with sour cream is lighter and definitely a cupcake. Can’t wait to try it.

    Gave a helpful HVAC guy a bunch of muffins, and he was very happy to have them.

    Thanks so much! OK, I’m going to try that frosting….

  6. Hi Summer,
    I’ll be making a banana cake next week with this recipe, Do you recommend any adjustments to work well with carving and stacking? I have tried many of your recipes and my family loves them all! Thank you!!

    1. You may want to add just one more banana. It will give it just a bit more density and work time. Let me know how it goes! 🙂

      1. It was perfect, and Delicious !!! I actually doubled the recipe and added just one extra banana. I baked it in 2 sheet pans and 2 4″ round pans for the head. I freez it overnight and made the magic!!
        Thank you a lot, I which I could share a picture here. It was a “the thing” bust cake.

  7. Hi Summer! Thanks for this great recipe!! What would you do to make this a fresh apple cinnamon cupcake? Could I substitute an equal amount of shredded apples to the batter instead of bananas and add about 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp nutmeg?

  8. I tried these tonight and they are delicious! They domed beautifully. These cupcakes have a mild banana flavor, so for those who want a more prominent banana taste (like my husband!), I’d definitely add another banana. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.

  9. What’s a good alternate frosting if chocolate is not desired (I know! who would ever turn down chocolate, right?! lol)

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