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Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These peanut butter banana cupcakes begin with moist banana cupcakes that taste like banana bread and have a soft, tender crumb. They’re finished with a creamy peanut butter frosting for a classic sweet-and-salty pairing.Banana peanut butter cupcakes on a cooling rack

This post was updated September 11, 2022 with new photos and recipe tips

The Perfect Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

These peanut butter banana cupcakes are flavorful and moist without being overly sweet. The cupcake base offers a gentle banana flavor with notes of brown sugar and vanilla—much like your favorite banana bread—but with a lighter, fluffy cupcake texture. The peanut butter frosting is smooth, creamy and slightly salty, balancing the sweet banana cake perfectly.

If you enjoy salty-and-sweet combinations or want a cupcake recipe packed with flavor, this is a great choice.banana peanut butter cupcake with glass of milk

These cupcakes stay moist with a tender crumb because of a few key choices:

  1. Oil is used in place of butter to keep the crumb extra soft.
  2. Two eggs add richness and tenderness.
  3. Mashed ripe bananas contribute moisture and flavor.
  4. A splash of milk (or buttermilk) helps keep the texture light rather than dense.

Baking Tips & Tricks

  • Use very ripe, brown-spotted bananas. They’re sweeter, more flavorful and offer more moisture for baking.
  • Bring the eggs and milk to room temperature before mixing. Room-temperature ingredients help the batter combine more easily without overmixing.
  • Avoid overmixing; overworked batter can become tough and develop air tunnels instead of a tender crumb.
  • It’s normal for the batter to have small lumps from the mashed bananas—don’t worry about them.
  • For the frosting, use smooth store-bought peanut butter. Avoid natural or homemade varieties where the oil separates; that separation can make the frosting greasy or curdled.

Cupcake topped with frosting and a banana chip with a bite taken out

I piped the frosting using a 1M star tip and a piping bag for a taller swirl and better frosting-to-cake ratio, but a knife works fine too. Garnish ideas include a banana chip or some chopped peanuts for texture.

If you love banana and peanut butter together—or simply want a very moist cupcake—these peanut butter banana cupcakes are a reliable crowd-pleaser.

Banana peanut butter cupcakes on a cooling rack
5 from 3 votes

Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes

By:
Fiona Dowling
Moist banana cupcakes with a banana-bread flavor and a creamy peanut butter frosting for an ideal sweet-and-salty pairing.
Prep:
45
Cook:
16
Cooling:
30
Total:
2
Servings:
12 cupcakes
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Equipment

  • 12-cavity muffin pan

Ingredients

Banana Cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (187.5 grams)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup oil (80 ml), vegetable or canola
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (50 grams)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk (80 ml), see notes for substitution
  • 3/4 cup mashed bananas (180 ml), about 2–3 very brown bananas

Peanut Butter Frosting

  • 2/3 cup unsalted butter (150 grams), softened
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter (125 grams), do not use natural or homemade
  • 2–3 cups powdered sugar (220–330 grams)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2–3 tbsp milk or cream (30–45 ml)

Instructions

For the Banana Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or 170°C fan). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until fairly smooth. Then whisk in the buttermilk (or milk).
  • Gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.
  • Fold in the mashed bananas. Small lumps from the bananas are normal.
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about two-thirds to three-quarters full.
  • Bake 16–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan briefly, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before frosting.

For the Peanut Butter Frosting

  • Beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until smooth, then beat in the peanut butter until combined.
  • Add 1 cup of powdered sugar, the salt and vanilla. Beat at low speed to incorporate.
  • Add the remaining powdered sugar in 1/2-cup increments, alternating with 1 tablespoon of milk or cream, until you reach the desired sweetness and consistency.
  • Frost the cooled cupcakes with a knife or a piping bag fitted with a star tip (1M recommended). Garnish if desired.

Notes

  1. Bananas: Use very ripe, brown-spotted bananas and measure them after mashing for best results.
  2. Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar to 1/3 cup milk, stir and let stand 5 minutes before using.
  3. Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen and thawed in the refrigerator overnight.
  4. Nutrition: Nutrition details are an estimate and assume one cupcake with frosting, using all the frosting as written.

Nutrition

Calories: 424kcal
,
Carbohydrates: 51g
,
Protein: 6g
,
Fat: 23g
,
Saturated Fat: 8g




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