5 Ingredient Banana Cupcakes
Sweet and flavorful 5-Ingredient Banana Cupcakes are bursting with the wonderful flavors of banana bread and are so easy to make!
5-ingredient Banana Cupcakes are the easiest treat to make using only five simple ingredients, including those ripe bananas you’ve been hanging on to! This banana cupcake recipe comes together in 30 minutes using bananas, cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil, and is topped with your choice of frosting. It is perfect as a snack, a treat, or even an on-the-go breakfast!
The Best Banana Cupcakes
Like everyone else, I’m in love with the sweet, baked-banana smell that fills the house whenever I make baked goods with bananas. What I love just a tiny bit more is how easy these 5-Ingredient Banana Cupcakes are to make and customize! I can use a variety of cake mixes to make these cupcakes, as well as any frosting and any mix-ins, like nuts or chocolate chips, I want! Banana cupcakes with cake mix make it a cinch to treat the family, and I always have fresh or frozen bananas on hand, so I’m ready to make these soft and fluffy cupcakes at the drop of a hat!
Two drool-worthy dishes that pop into people’s minds when you say banana are luscious Homemade Banana Pudding and deliciously nostalgic Banana Nut Bread!
Other Recipes to Serve with 5-Ingredient Banana Cupcakes
- Make afternoon treats even sweeter with easy-to-make, fruit-filled Pineapple Banana Smoothies!
- Banana Upside Down Cake is a tender cake topped with caramelized bananas, perfect for banana lovers!
Ingredients
Cake Mix: You can use vanilla cake mix or any of your favorite cake mixes for this recipe. You will not need any of the additional ingredients listed on the cake mix package.
Bananas: You will need 3-4 fresh or frozen ripe bananas to make these cupcakes. If using frozen bananas, be sure to thaw them ahead of time so they mash easily.
Add-Ins: Set out a few eggs and vegetable oil to make this recipe.
Toppings: To make the buttercream frosting, you will need room-temperature unsalted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy cream or milk. You can also garnish your cupcakes with yummy banana chips. To keep this recipe truly 5 ingredients, skip the banana chips and use pre-made vanilla frosting.
How to Make 5-Ingredient Banana Cupcakes
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Add the bananas to a medium bowl and mash well.
STEP TWO: Stir in the cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil until just combined. Pour an even amount of batter into each muffin well.
STEP THREE: Bake for 18-24 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
STEP FOUR: While the cupcakes are cooling, beat the butter in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until fluffy. Mix in one cup of powdered sugar at a time, blending well between each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and heavy cream, and mix until the frosting is smooth.
STEP FIVE: Frost the cupcakes once they have completely cooled, and if you like, garnish with a sweet banana chip on top.
Tips for Success
- Fresh and frozen bananas both work really well in this recipe; the key is to make sure they are really ripe, however. Save the greenish or just turned yellow bananas for lunch, and save the ones with brown peels for these cupcakes!
- You can make these cupcakes with just about any cake mix you like! Vanilla, yellow, or chocolate cake mix all taste wonderful with bananas, so go with what you have in your pantry!
- Homemade buttercream, store-bought frosting, or a simple dusting of powdered sugar are all delicious ways to top these banana cupcakes, so go with what you like!
- Feel free to add chocolate chips, toffee bits, or spices such as cinnamon, apple pie spice, or pumpkin pie spice for a delicious flavor twist.
What is the secret to moist banana cake?
The secret to a deliciously moist banana cake, or in this case, cupcakes, is ripe bananas! The riper the banana, the more pectin and sugar are developed. The pectin and sugar help the banana cupcakes hold onto moisture, creating a tender crumb with a bright banana flavor that everyone loves. Choose bananas with peels that are spotted brown, have brown streaks, or are mostly brown but not shriveled. If the banana’s smell is overpowering and reminiscent of alcohol, the banana has fermented and is no longer suitable for baking. If you won’t be able to use those spotted and streaked bananas before they go bad, chop them up, toss them into a freezer-safe container, and freeze them for later!
How do I store these banana cupcakes?
When making these banana cupcakes as written with a buttercream frosting, you’ll want to keep leftovers in the fridge. Unfrosted banana cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container on the counter, and both the frosted and unfrosted cupcakes will last up to a week. You can also freeze unfrosted cupcakes to enjoy later. Set the cupcakes on a sheet pan and place them in the freezer until frozen. Transfer the cupcakes to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months. To thaw, allow the cupcake to sit on the counter until it reaches room temperature.
More Incredible Banana Recipes!
- Banana Fritters
- Banana Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting
- Cream Cheese Stuffed Banana Carrot Cake
- Banana Blueberry Crumb Muffins
- Double Chocolate Banana Bread
*This post originally posted on 12/01/2017.
5 Ingredient Banana Cupcakes
Ingredients
Banana Cupcakes
- 13.25 ounces vanilla cake mix (1 box)
- 3 ripe bananas
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 pound powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
- 12 banana chips
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degreesF. Line 12 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
- Peel the bananas and add them to a medium mixing bowl. Use a fork to mash the bananas. Add the cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil to the bowl. Mix until just combined.
- Divide the cupcake batter evenly between the lined muffin tin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake for 20-24 minutes, or until tops gently spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and carefully transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting
- Beat the butter in a large mixing bowl for 1 minute with a hand mixer on medium speed. Add the powdered sugar in 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add vanilla and heavy cream to the bowl, and beat until smooth. If needed, add more cream to thin the frosting as desired.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your preferred piping tip. Frost the cupcakes and then garnish each one with a banana chip.
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