Irresistible Banana Caramel Cupcakes: Your Ultimate Guide to a Decadent Dessert

Prepare to fall in love with these extraordinary banana caramel cupcakes! Imagine a perfectly moist, delightfully spiced banana cake base, crowned with a cloud of light, luscious caramel buttercream. Each bite offers a symphony of flavors – the natural sweetness of ripe bananas perfectly complementing the rich, buttery notes of caramel. The buttercream melts on your tongue, leaving a subtly sweet, unforgettable taste that will have everyone reaching for a second (or third!) cupcake. This simple, easy-to-follow, and utterly delicious recipe is truly irresistible.

Essential Ingredients for Your Banana Caramel Cupcakes

To embark on this delicious baking adventure, you’ll need a selection of high-quality ingredients for both the cupcakes and the dreamy caramel buttercream. The precise measurements are detailed in the comprehensive recipe card located at the bottom of this page, but let’s dive into why each component is crucial.

Ingredients for Moist Banana Cupcakes

• Cake flour: This specialized flour is milled from soft wheat and has a lower protein content compared to all-purpose flour. This results in less gluten formation, which is key to achieving a supremely tender and airy crumb, perfect for delicate cakes and cupcakes.
• Bananas: The star of the show! Use very ripe bananas (the ones with plenty of brown spots) as they offer maximum sweetness and a richer, more concentrated banana flavor. Ripe bananas also contribute significant moisture to the cupcakes, allowing for a reduction in other fats and sugars.
• Baking powder and baking soda: These are your essential leavening agents. Baking soda requires an acid (like the buttermilk in this recipe) to activate and create carbon dioxide bubbles, ensuring your cupcakes rise beautifully and have a light texture. Baking powder is a complete leavener and works independently. While you can substitute baking soda with more baking powder, the leavening power won’t be as strong.
• Buttermilk: Often referred to as “sour milk,” buttermilk is crucial for activating the baking soda, creating those lovely air pockets. Its slight acidity also adds a subtle tang that enhances the overall flavor profile of the cupcakes. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, a simple homemade substitute works perfectly: combine ¾ cup (180 ml) of regular milk with one teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice, let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it slightly curdles, then use as directed.
• Light brown sugar: This sugar not only provides sweetness but also adds a delicate caramel-like flavor and a wonderfully moist texture to the cupcakes. Its fine crystals dissolve easily into the batter. If light brown sugar isn’t available, you can use regular granulated sugar for a slightly different taste, or dark brown sugar for a more pronounced molasses flavor.
• Vanilla Extract: For the best flavor, always opt for natural vanilla extract. Its deep, complex notes far surpass those of artificial alternatives. If you’re an avid baker, consider making your own homemade vanilla extract. It’s incredibly rewarding and will provide a superior flavor for all your baking projects for a long time.
• Butter: Unsalted butter is preferred to control the overall saltiness of the recipe. Ensure it’s at room temperature (softened but not melted) before mixing. Room temperature butter creams better with sugar, incorporating more air and contributing to the airiness and tenderness of the final cupcake.
• Eggs: Use large (size L) eggs, also at room temperature. Similar to butter, room temperature eggs emulsify more easily with the other ingredients, creating a smoother, more uniform batter and a fluffier cupcake texture.
• Salt: A pinch of salt is a magical ingredient in baking. It doesn’t just add saltiness; it enhances all the other flavors, making the banana and caramel notes more vibrant and balancing the sweetness.
• Cinnamon: The warm, spicy notes of cinnamon are a perfect match for both banana and caramel, adding depth and a comforting aroma to these delightful treats.

Ingredients for Silky Caramel Buttercream

• Sugar: The foundation of your caramel. When heated and cooked, sugar transforms into rich, golden caramel. Be vigilant during this process, as sugar can burn very quickly!
• Cream: Added to the hot caramel, the cream stops the cooking process and creates a smooth, pourable caramel sauce, infusing it with a creamy, luxurious flavor.
• Butter and egg whites: These form the base of a light and stable Swiss meringue buttercream. Whisking egg whites with sugar over a double boiler, then beating them until fluffy and gradually incorporating softened butter, results in a buttercream that is incredibly silky, less sweet, and holds its shape beautifully.
• Vanilla Extract: Just like in the cupcakes, vanilla adds an extra layer of delicious aroma and flavor to the buttercream. You can also use one teaspoon of vanilla sugar for a similar effect.

How to Prepare Banana Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream: A Step-by-Step Guide

Baking these banana caramel cupcakes is a rewarding experience, and with a few tips, you’ll achieve perfection every time. For a convenient, printable recipe with detailed step-by-step instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.

1. Prepare the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until well combined. This ensures the leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed.
2. Combine wet banana ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, mash the ripe bananas thoroughly. Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla extract until smooth.
3. Cream butter and sugar: In a third, larger mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), cream the room-temperature unsalted butter with the light brown sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale.
4. Incorporate eggs and wet/dry mixtures: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add half of the flour mixture, then the banana mixture, and finally the remaining flour mixture. Mix just until everything is combined and no dry streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cupcakes.
5. Bake the cupcakes: Divide the batter evenly among the paper-lined cupcake ramekins, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 °F (180 °C) for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
6. Make the caramel sauce: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar and water. Heat over medium heat, stirring gently until the sugar dissolves and you have a clear syrup. Continue cooking without stirring until the syrup turns a deep, rich amber color. Safety warning: Remove from heat immediately. Don your gloves and safety goggles, then carefully and slowly pour in the cream while stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. The mixture will bubble up intensely. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool completely.
7. Prepare the Swiss Meringue Buttercream base: In a clean, grease-free bowl (preferably metal or glass), combine the egg whites and sugar. Place this bowl over a pot of simmering water (creating a double boiler, or “au bain-Marie”). Whisk constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch (around 160°F / 70°C). Remove from heat.
8. Whip the buttercream: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, start beating the egg white mixture on low speed, gradually increasing to high speed, until stiff, glossy peaks form and the meringue is cool to the touch. With the mixer on medium speed, add the room-temperature unsalted butter, one piece at a time (in three parts), beating well after each addition until a smooth, fluffy buttercream forms. Finally, mix in the vanilla extract and ¾ of the cooled caramel syrup on low speed until just blended.
9. Assemble and decorate: Transfer the caramel buttercream to a piping bag fitted with your desired nozzle. Pipe beautiful swirls on top of each cooled banana cupcake. If you don’t have a piping bag, a spoon or offset spatula works just as well. Drizzle the remaining caramel syrup over the frosted cupcakes for an extra touch of decadence.

📖 Recipe

RECIPE CARD

Banana Caramel Cupcakes

Andréa

Everyone really likes banana cupcakes! And these are topped with light caramel buttercream. The cream melts on your tongue and gives a slightly sweet taste. The cupcakes are moist, creamy, and deliciously spiced. A simple, easy, and delicious recipe that you just can’t resist.

5 of 12 votes

Print Recipe
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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course Sweets and Sweet Baking

Cuisine American

Servings 12 cupcakes

Calories 558 kcal

Equipment

• A conventional oven is used. When using a convection oven (with air fan) decrease the temperature with 30 °F / 20 °C
• cupcake and muffin pan
• Hand Mixer

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• ▢ 2¾ cups cake flour
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon , ground
• ▢ 4 large bananas, very ripe and mashed
• ▢ ¾ cups buttermilk
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1½ sticks butter, unsalted, room temperature
• ▢ 1⅔ cups light-brown sugar
• ▢ 3 eggs , size L, room temperature

Caramel butter cream

• ▢ ⅓ cup sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons water
• ▢ 2 tablespoons cream
• ▢ 1½ stick butter , unsalted, room temperature
• ▢ 2 egg whites, size L
• ▢ ½ cup sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

Banana Cupcakes

• ▢
  Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C).
• ▢
  Grease the wholes in the baking tin and line them with the paper cups.
• ▢
  Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. 
  2¾ cups cake flour, 1½ teaspoons baking soda, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢
  Whisk together the bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla in a second bowl. 
  4 large bananas, ¾ cups buttermilk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢
  In a third bowl, mix the butter with the brown sugar on medium speed until it’s fluffy. 
  1½ sticks butter, 1⅔ cups light-brown sugar
• ▢
  Add eggs, one at a time, while beating until it’s incorporated. 
  3 eggs
• ▢
  Reduce to low speed. Add half of the flour, then the banana mixture, and end with the rest of the flour. Beat just enough to incorporate it. 
• ▢
  Divide the mixture into the paper cups. 
• ▢
  Bake for 20 minutes in the oven.
• ▢
  Let them cool down for 3 minutes and get them out of the tins.
• ▢
  Let them further cool down to room temperature on a wire rack (before putting the caramel buttercream on top.) 

Caramel buttercream

• ▢
  Combine the sugar and the water in a heavy saucepan. 
  ⅓ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons water
• ▢
  Heat over medium until the sugar is dissolved, and you have a clear syrup. 
• ▢
  Cook until it comes to a boil and let it boil until it has a very dark amber color. 
• ▢
  Remove from heat, put gloves and goggles on (for hot spatter), and add the cream while stirring with a wooden spoon. Let cool down. 
  2 tablespoons cream
• ▢
  Combine in a second clean and grease-free bowl the sugar with the egg whites. Also use clean and grease-free mix hooks and whisk.
  ½ cup sugar, 2 egg whites
• ▢
  Put the bowl over a pan of simmering water (au bain-Marie) and constantly whisk until the sugar has completely dissolved. 
• ▢
  Get it off the heat and mix further, starting at low speed and gradually going to high speed until peaks have formed. Change the speed of the mixer to medium and add the beaten butter three times. Mix well after each addition. 
  1½ stick butter
• ▢
  Add the vanilla.
  ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢
  Set the mixer on low speed and very slowly add ¾th of the caramel sauce to the mixture.
• ▢
  Put the cream in a piping bag and make swirls on top of your cupcakes.
• ▢
  Top with a drizzle of the remaining caramel sauce

Notes

1. Baking powder and baking soda are leavening agents and make the cupcake airy. You can replace baking soda with baking powder, but that’s a less potent leavening agent.

2. Buttermilk – Also called sour milk. It is necessary for the baking soda to work (you need acid for that). If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use ¾ cup (180 ml) of milk and one teaspoon of vinegar.

3. Vanilla Extract – If you can get it, use natural vanilla extract, which has a deeper flavor than artificial vanilla extract. With this recipe, you can make your own vanilla extract (and certainly, if you bake a lot, it is highly recommended because you can use this for a good time).

4. Oven – When you use a conventional oven, set the temperature to 350 °F (180 °C). In a convection oven, 320 °F (160 °C) is enough.

5. – Storage

• Room temperature – Store the cupcakes without cream topping at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Refrigerator – Store in the fridge for up to 3 days with a topping or when it’s warm outside. The refrigerator will change the structure slightly due to the humidity in the fridge, but the cupcakes are still delicious. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.
• Freezer (only without topping) – Wrap in plastic wrap and then in a freezer box. This keeps the cupcakes good for up to 3 months.

6. – The nutritional values are per cupcake decorated with cream and caramel syrup. The actual values are probably slightly lower because you have some leftover buttercream.

Nutrition

Calories: 558kcalCarbohydrates: 77gProtein: 7gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 519mgFiber: 2gSugar: 51gVitamin A: 858IUVitamin C: 4mgIron: 1mg

Keyword a cupcake with banana, a cupcake with caramel

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Baking Tips for Perfect Banana Caramel Cupcakes

Even with a great recipe, a few insider tips can make all the difference in achieving bakery-quality results. Here’s how to ensure your banana caramel cupcakes are nothing short of perfection:

• Room Temperature Ingredients: This is a golden rule in baking! Softened butter and room temperature eggs and buttermilk emulsify much better, creating a smoother, more uniform batter that holds more air. This translates to lighter, fluffier cupcakes.
• Don’t Overmix the Batter: Once you’ve added the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which can lead to tough, dense cupcakes. A few lumps are perfectly fine!
• Use Very Ripe Bananas: The browner, the better! Very ripe bananas are sweeter and have a more intense flavor, which is essential for that rich banana taste in your cupcakes. They also mash more easily and contribute to the moistness.
• Measure Flour Correctly: For cake flour, spoon it into your measuring cup and then level it off with a straight edge. Scooping directly from the bag can compact the flour, leading to too much flour and dry cupcakes.
• Fill Cupcake Liners Evenly: Use an ice cream scoop or a measuring cup to ensure each liner is filled with the same amount of batter. This promotes even baking and uniformly sized cupcakes. Fill them about 2/3 full to prevent overflowing.
• Don’t Overbake: Overbaked cupcakes are dry cupcakes. Start checking for doneness at the minimum bake time. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
• Cool Completely: Resist the urge to frost warm cupcakes! Warm cupcakes will melt your beautiful buttercream, turning it into a runny mess. Ensure they are completely cool to the touch before decorating.
• Caramel Safety: Making caramel involves very hot sugar. Always be extremely cautious. Have all your ingredients measured and ready before you start, and use heat-resistant gloves and safety goggles when adding the cream to prevent splatters.
• Cleanliness for Swiss Meringue Buttercream: When making Swiss meringue buttercream, ensure your bowl and whisk attachments are immaculately clean and grease-free. Any trace of fat can prevent the egg whites from whipping properly, resulting in a runny buttercream.

Storage and Make-Ahead Suggestions

These banana caramel cupcakes are so delicious, they rarely last long! However, if you find yourself with leftovers or want to bake ahead, here’s how to store them properly:

• Room Temperature (unfrosted): Cupcakes without the caramel buttercream topping can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. This is great if you want to bake the bases ahead of time and frost them later.
• Refrigerator (frosted or in warm weather): Once frosted with the caramel buttercream, or if it’s particularly warm outside, store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. While refrigeration might slightly alter the texture due to humidity, they will still be incredibly delicious. For the best taste and texture, remove them from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving to allow the buttercream to soften slightly.
• Freezer (unfrosted only): To enjoy these cupcakes even further in the future, you can freeze the unfrosted cupcake bases. Wrap each cooled cupcake tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. They will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before frosting.

Creative Serving Ideas

While these banana caramel cupcakes are perfect as is, here are a few ideas to elevate your serving experience:

• Dust with Cinnamon: A light dusting of ground cinnamon or even a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg on top of the buttercream adds a lovely aromatic touch.
• Toasted Pecans or Walnuts: For an extra layer of texture and nutty flavor, sprinkle some finely chopped toasted pecans or walnuts over the caramel drizzle.
• Mini Banana Slices: Garnish with a thin slice of fresh banana just before serving. A tiny piece of banana chip could also add a nice crunch.
• Sea Salt Flakes: A tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on the caramel drizzle can really enhance the caramel flavor, providing a delightful sweet-and-salty contrast.
• Alongside Coffee or Tea: These rich cupcakes pair beautifully with a hot cup of coffee, a creamy latte, or a soothing cup of black tea.