Banana Cupcakes with Honey Buttercream Frosting

What do you get when you combine bananas and honey? Banana cupcakes with honey buttercream frosting a tasty treat the whole family will love.

Do you like banana bread? Then you will love these banana cupcakes topped with honey buttercream frosting. They are a cross between a muffin and a cupcake but with sweet, creamy honey frosting. Perfect for all of your summer parties and bbq’s or as a sweet treat with a cup of tea or coffee.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Moist and flavorful cupcakes. The bananas add natural sweetness and moisture, which keeps these cupcakes tender and delicious.
• Buttercream frosting with a twist, instead of using my favorite butter cream frosting, this version is sweetened with honey. It adds a subtle floral taste that is delicious with the bananas.
• These cupcakes are easy to make and a great recipe to make with your kids or grandkids.
• They are a versatile treat to customize with nuts, chocolate chips, or a sprinkle of cinnamon if you wish. And a a great recipe to use up overripe bananas.

Need more banana recipes?

• Banana Bars with Browned Butter Glaze
• Double Chocolate Banana Bread with Cocoa Nibs
• Old Fashioned Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Banana Cream Tarts

What you need to make banana cupcakes with honey buttercream

These cupcakes are made with simple pantry ingredients plus extra ripe bananas, the riper the better as the bananas add sweetness and moisture to the cupcakes and enhance the banana flavor.

Banana Cupcakes

• 11/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 11/2 cups ripe banana mashed (about 4 ripe bananas)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Honey Buttercream Frosting

• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons  honey
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• pinch of salt

How to Make Banana Cupcakes recipe

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper cupcake  liners or spray cupcake tins with cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Add butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla:
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. In well, mix together the wet ingredients, the melted butter, mashed banana, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix). Using an ice cream scoop divide batter evenly between the muffin cups.
• Bake until a toothpick or a cake tester inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
• While cupcakes are cooling make honey buttercream frosting.

Honey Buttercream Frosting Recipe

• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy, on medium-high speed about 3 minutes. Or use an electric mixer. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Then sift in the powdered sugar, then add the heavy cream, honey and salt. Turn the mixture onto low speed otherwise you will have a mess of sugar. After a few seconds turn back to medium speed and beat until combined about 3 minutes more. You may need to add more heavy cream to get the frosting to the consistency that you like.
• Using a piping bag or a plastic bag with the tip cut pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. I used a large star tip. Or simply spread tops with a dollop of frosting.

Recipe Variations

• Add nuts or chocolate chips: Fold in chopped walnuts or chocolate chips for added texture and flavor. You could also toast the nuts for a deeper and nuttier flavor.
• Spice it up: Mix in cinnamon or nutmeg for a warm spice kick that pairs beautifully with banana.
• Make mini cupcakes. Adjust the baking time and use mini liners for bite-sized treats.
• For an even nuttier note, brown the butter before mixing it into your batter, letting it cool slightly first.
• Use clover honey in your frosting for a floral sweetness.
• Substitute vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract in your frosting for a more intense flavor and the pretty specks.
• Add cream cheese to the butter to make honey cream cheese frosting or cinnamon to make honey cinnamon frosting.

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Storing & Freezing Leftover Cupcakes

Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

For longer storage wrap unfrosted banana cupcakes tightly in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container or freezer bag. They keep for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature when ready to enjoy.

FAQs

What’s the best way to ripen bananas quickly?

Place bananas in a paper bag with an apple at room temperature, the ethylene gas speeds up ripening.

Can I make the frosting in advance?

Yes, honey buttercream can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature then re-whip it before frosting the cupcakes.

Until Next Time

I hope that you enjoyed this recipe for Banana cupcakes with honey buttercream frosting. They’re a great way to enjoy a homemade treat that’s as comforting as it is tasty. They are my new favorite way to use up spotted brown bananas.

Have a great day friends and happy baking. Thank you for spending part of your day with me.

You can also keep up with me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. And last but not least, if you like Pinecones & Acorns share it with a friend!

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Banana Cupcakes with Honey Buttercream Frosting

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What do you get when you combine bananas and honey? Banana cupcakes with honey buttercream frosting a tasty treat the whole family will love.

• Total Time: 0 hours
• Yield: 12 1x

Ingredients

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Banana Cupcakes

• 11/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 11/2 cups ripe banana mashed (about 4 ripe bananas)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Honey Buttercream Frosting

• 3–4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons  honey
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• pinch of salt

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Instructions

 Banana Cupcakes recipe

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper cupcake  liners or spray cupcake tins with cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Add butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla:
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. In well, mix together the wet ingredients, the melted butter, mashed banana, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix). Using an ice cream scoop divide batter evenly between the muffin cups.
• Bake until a toothpick or a cake tester inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
• While cupcakes are cooling make honey buttercream frosting.

Honey Buttercream Frosting Recipe

• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy, on medium-high speed about 3 minutes. Or use an electric mixer. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Then sift in the powdered sugar, then add the heavy cream, honey and salt. Turn the mixture onto low speed otherwise you will have a mess of sugar. After a few seconds turn back to medium speed and beat until combined about 3 minutes more. You may need to add more heavy cream to get the frosting to the consistency that you like.
• Using a piping bag or a plastic bag with the tip cut pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. I used a large star tip. Or simply spread tops with a dollop of frosting.

 

Notes

Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food 2008

• Author: Elizabeth
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 20-25
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked