Banana Spice Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting are a classic combination in a tasty package. These may be called cupcakes but you might mistake them for muffins with frosting.
Pin Banana Spice Cupcakes to make later.
What do I need to make Banana Spice Cupcakes?
These banana spice cupcakes are super moist, have a soft crumb, and have lots of banana flavor. The peanut butter frosting takes them over the top. If you already have the over-ripe bananas, you should have everything else on hand. Plus it’s a great way to use up buttermilk too.
For the Banana Spice Cupcakes:
- Unsalted Butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Eggs
- Ripe Bananas – 2 if they are medium, 3 if they are small.
- Honey
- Buttermilk
- Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla bean paste. I used Taylor & Colledge.
- Flour – Use all-purpose.
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
For the peanut butter frosting:
- Confectioners’ Sugar
- Peanut Butter – Use creamy or crunchy. I preferred creamy.
- Salt
- Milk – use whole or 2% milk
- Chopped Peanuts for Garnish – Honey Roasted work nicely here.
What is the best way to cool cupcakes?
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and place them on a cooling rack. Once they have been out of the oven for a few minutes, 4 or 5, tilt them onto the cups in the muffin pan.
How do you store banana cupcakes?
These banana spice cupcakes will keep on the counter for 2 to 3 days. The recipe makes 12 and I doubt they will last that long.
Do I need paper liners for cupcakes?
While you could use paper liners for these cupcakes I chose not to use them. I find they often don’t peel away properly.
If you want to use paper liners for banana spice cupcakes, spray them with non-stick baking spray with flour for better results.
A cupcake batter that is high in sugar can stick to the paper liner. It essentially caramelizes against the paper or a metal pan for that matter.
Delicate texture cupcakes will also tend to stick as do batters low in fat.
Tips and Suggestions
First, don’t be alarmed when your banana spice cupcakes have spread on the top of the muffin pan. While they don’t look pretty when you remove them from the oven, once you frost them they will look great!
Don’t overfill the muffin tins. There is a lot of cupcake batter and it will be easy to want to do so but resist the temptation.
Recipes to use up ripe bananas
Sometimes I buy more bananas on purpose so I can make some favorite recipes. Here are some we love:
- Easy Banana Nut Muffins – A great option for a grab-and-go breakfast.
- Grandma’s Banana Cake – An old-fashioned cake recipe everyone is sure to enjoy.
- Banana Spice Waffles – Perfect for a special occasion breakfast or family brunch.
- Banana Orange Pineapple Smoothie – A great breakfast drink.
Banana Spice Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 medium ripe bananas
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 2⅓ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste
- ⅓ to ½ cup milk
- 1⅓ cups honey roasted peanuts, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin or cupcake pan.
- For the cake, in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth and pale.
- Add the eggs, and beat well. Stir in the banana, honey, buttermilk, and vanilla. The mixture may look lumpy.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make sure everything is lump free and well combined.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and add the remaining dry ingredients. Mix until the batter is combined, scraping the bowl and mix at medium speed for 30 – 45 seconds.
- Bake for 24 to 27 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs on it.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven, and place the pan on a wire cooling rack. As soon as you're able, about 2 – 3 mintues after you take them out, tilt the cupcakes in the wells of the pan; this prevents their bottoms from steaming and falling apart.
- When the cupcakes are completely cool, make the frosting.
Peanut Butter Frosting Instructions
- Beat together the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt until crumbly
- Add ⅓ cup of the milk, beating to combine. If the frosting is too thick to spread easily, add more liquid a tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition.
- Put the crushed peanuts in a bowl. Frost the cupcakes, using about 1 ½ ounces of frosting for each. If you have any leftover go back and add more. As you frost each cupcake, sprinkle crushed peanuts, over the frosting.
- Transfer cupcakes to a rack to set briefly; then cover and store airtight until you're ready to serve them. They'll stay fresh for a day or two.
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Christie says
I love all things banana and peanut butter. Sounds delicious.
Marie says
Sweet and moist bananas and spices sound fantastic to my ears! On my ‘to try list’! Thanks for sharing!