Description
These banana pudding cupcakes are the ultimate cozy dessert—moist vanilla cake filled with creamy banana pudding and topped with luscious banana buttercream. They’re simple enough for weeknights, special enough for celebrations, and guaranteed to bring smiles.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
½ cup milk
½ cup water
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Banana Pudding Filling:
1 (3.4 oz) box instant banana pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
For the Banana Buttercream:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon banana extract
Pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
2–4 tablespoons milk
Optional Toppings:
Mini vanilla wafers
Fresh banana slices
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk, water, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Combine wet ingredients with dry and stir gently until just blended—don’t overmix.
5. Fill cupcake liners just over halfway and bake for 15–18 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
6. While cupcakes bake, make the pudding: whisk pudding mix and cold milk for 2 minutes. Chill in fridge to thicken.
7. Once cupcakes are cool, use a knife or apple corer to remove centers (don’t go all the way through).
8. Fill each cupcake with banana pudding and optionally replace the tops.
9. Make the buttercream: Beat softened butter with banana extract and salt until creamy.
10. Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing on low speed. Add milk gradually until desired consistency is reached.
11. Pipe buttercream onto each cupcake using a piping bag or zip-top bag.
12. Decorate with mini vanilla wafers and banana slices just before serving.
Notes
Make sure cupcakes are fully cooled before adding filling or frosting.
Use room temperature butter for the smoothest buttercream.
If you don’t have a piping bag, use a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off.
Lightly coat banana slices with lemon juice to prevent browning.
Store frosted cupcakes in the fridge; bring to room temperature before serving.
You can make cupcakes and filling ahead of time and assemble the day of serving.
Freeze unfrosted, unfilled cupcakes for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American