Imagine your favorite sweet, delicious banana bread batter scooped into a cupcake mold, baked and then topped with a vanilla bean cream cheese frosting and toffee crumbles (yes more toffee–I can’t be trusted with an open bag).
I like to think these are still healthy.
Since they are banana bread and all.
I also like to think that eating half of the cream cheese frosting from a spoon is also healthy. Because, really, I love me some cream cheese frosting. And who says you can’t eat cupcakes for breakfast?
These cupcakes were born from two black bananas and the intense craving for banana bread, but also frosting at the same time.
It was seven thirty a.m.
What can I say? I’m a woman that knows what she wants.
So I started baking. In my pajamas and leopard print slippers. And with a cup of Earl Grey in hand. The only time I paused was to wipe away a smear of banana off of my extra-thick glasses.
Finally, only 40 minutes later, I had victory.
If you like banana bread, you’ll LOVE these. And the cream cheese frosting just puts them over the top. The cupcakes are more bread-like than these, but super moist from the ripe bananas and buttermilk. In fact, they might be my new favorite cupcake of choice!
They’re great because they’re not over-the-top sweet…just like banana bread. The perfect vehicle for super rich and sweet frosting!
Banana Bread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
makes 1 dozen cupcakes
2 1/3 cup all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 extra-ripe bananas, mashed with a fork until smooth
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk
for cream cheese frosting:
1 stick butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
seeds of one vanilla bean (or 2 tsp vanilla extract but if you can get the vanilla bean, do that..it makes a big difference!)
Preheat your oven to 350 and grease (or line) a cupcake pan.
Cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy and then add the eggs, one at time, beating after each addition.
In a small bowl, combine the mashed banana with the vanilla and buttermilk and stir well until combined.
In a larger bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon).
Add the wet and dry ingredients alternately to the creamed butter, mixing well after each addition. This works best if you have a Kitchen Aid and keep it running on low the whole time.
Fill muffin tins about 3/4th of the way full (I just about fill mine up every time) and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden.
Let cool completely while you make the frosting.
For the frosting, beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla bean seeds and powdered sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy.
Top cupcakes with toffee bits if you like—I highly recommend it!
Monday morning suddenly got a whole lot sweeter.
Pin It 
{ 84 comments… read them below or add one }
These look fantastic! Too bad bananas never last long enough in my house to be made into banana bread!
I want a spoonful of cream cheese frosting with toffee bits sprinkled on top sooo badly now! Yum!
we must have the same brain…i woke up this morning craving this exact same treat! can’t wait to make them this week
Love banana cupcakes! so good.
Oh WOW! I had some too-ripe bananas in my kitchen this weekend and used them for banana pancakes which I thought were delicious, but now I really REALLY want these!
what a great and fun breakfast Jenna!
yum! these cupcakes look amazing!
WOW!!!!! Good thing I just froze all my bananas or i’d be making a hot mess in the kitchen trying to make these right now…and then eat the whole batch! Bookmarking this one!
That frosting is so beautiful! I think frosting definitely belongs on your resume.
I can’t WAIT to make these, and here’s why: I LOVE banana bread, but do not like other banana-flavored things, like milkshakes, cookies, and yes, even cupcakes. So, a rich banana bread with fluffy frosting? YES! That way I get my banana bread AND my frosting, too. Genius.
Banana cupcakes are my best friends favorite! Her B-Day is coming up soon! I must make these for her
The cupcakes look incredibly fluffy and the frosting sooo creamy! I want these!!
We go through three bunches of bananas a week in our house that always get eaten. Looks like I might have found a reason for the fourth bunch…(hide it and let them get brown)
I love banana bread so much. It’s seriously my favorite sweet bread.
Ohhh my gosh. Amazing. Seriously. Now I want cupcakes…wahh. haha
Those look great! The toffee is just a perfect addition.
Beautiful photos Jenna! I always trick myself to believe that anything with fruit in it is somewhat healthy, like banana bread, peach cobbler, apple pie, etc
Is it just me, or does cream cheese frosting make everything better?
I’m going on a cream cheese frosting diet…who’s with me?!
As I have recently discovered that bananas are my favorite food (yep, I’m weird like that), I am all about these! Yum!
You had me at cream cheese frosting!
Would you believe we were just looking for a banana cupcake recipe? So these are not only delicious looking but rather well timed. Hurrah!
awesome! Let me know if you make them!
I love the combo of banana cake or bread with cream cheese frosting – the toffee is such a great touch for texture!
Yummy!! These look absolutely delicious!!!
Yum. Between the banana and the cream cheese, this sounds like a well balanced breakfast
Oh goodness. I’m starting my morning off with a major craving.
I love your blog. That is all.
thank you!
I don’t even like cupcakes (Yes, I know…) and these sound delicious
Recipes like this always make me wish I wasn’t allergic to bananas!
I know this might be a sin to admit (especially as a runner…) but I do not like bananas. In fact, I try to avoid them like the plague. BUT, I love banana bread– I crave it, actually
And I was just thinking the other day how much I (wanted) NEEDED to make some. These will be amazing! 
Nothing wrong with knowing what you want:D Good on you, Jenna – enjoy!
Nothing wrong with knowing what you want… Good on you, Jenna! Enjoy
I want to come toyour house for breakfast! Those look amazing. My mouthi s watering. Cupcakes for breakfast is the greatest idea ever!
That’s a really good idea! Bananas and frosting… yum!
The banana cupcakes are looking fantastic ! The cream cheese topping makes it more yummmm. I’m sure my son wud luv it… !
I love banana bread so I’m sure I’d love these cupcakes. I’ve never had cream cheese frosting it looks amazing!
These kind of need to happen…NOW. I believe it’s the only way for my week to be a success.
I baked and ate 1/2 a banana bread last night. It was superbowl sunday. I shouldn’t have. But I did.
But these take the cake!
banana bread is delicious–plus, super bowl sunday is a holiday!
Judging by the amount of baked goods I eat – then everyday is a holiday!
I always have brown bananas to use up. Can’t wait to make these!
great combination of ingredients: bananas, toffee, nuts and creme! delicious
What a great way to start the week. ‘naner muffins + frosting = AMAZINGNESS
damn girl, you have a gift, what can I say???
Recently, a tea company sent me a recipe for Earl Grey cupcakes but they used a cake mix as a base and added earl grey tea to the batter. I’ve seen earl grey vanilla cookies around the blogs (they had this weird, gruel-y looking icing on them though and they just didn’t look purty). This idea is intriguing to me (I love London Fog lattes yummmm like drinking tasty perfume!)
And plans for tea infused desserts by any chance? Oh pretty pretty please!?!
I love tea infused recipes! Last summer I made a yummy rooibos quinoa with dried blueberries (http://eatliverun.com/breakfast-recipes/rooibos-quinoa-with-dried-blueberries-and-coconut/) and cinnamon pear dumplings with ginger tea syrup! http://eatliverun.com/cinnamon-pear-dumplings-with-ginger-tea-syrup/
oh wow. Right up my alley. I will have these made by the end of the week for sure. Yum, I like how you sprinkled peanuts on them too, prefecto!
The banana muffins look very tasty – I love them because they are not overly sweet. If only there was a way to make a savory icing…
Toffee and I have been in a long term relationship for many years. It would be highly offended if I did not include it on this dessert. I don’t want to upset it. Our bond is strong. These look amazing. I can’t wait to try these out. Usually banana bread is too sweet, but you’re assurance that the frosting is what makes them decadent is an awesome selling point for me.
I understand perfectly. And they are delicious—especially right out of the fridge!
I finally made your famous Lemon Brown Sugar Chicken recipe and my family RAVED about it! I think it will now become a new family favorite and I’m making it for my dinner party this week so THANK YOU so much, Jenna!!
thank you! I’m glad y’all liked it!
I love banana bread in EVERY form. These look DELISH!!!
I wish I could make these.,.they sound amazing and I love love love banana in dessert. The bf won’t eat banana anything though so I’m definitely not making these to sit in my house…I will seriously eat them ALL! But I bet these would be a huge hit at a potluck.
I think you can stop apologizing for the fact that the majority of the recipes you share these days are “unhealthy.” I, for one, enjoy the blog more now that there is more butter involved. I feel like calling attention to the fact that you’re no longer quite as health-conscious with your recipes is getting super repetitive. And it’s unnecessary! You should just post what you post and not have to apologize to readers who might prefer spinach and egg whites. Just my two cents.
I’m totally kidding most of the time! Most of what I say is meant to be taken very tongue-and-cheek
this is the best looking recipe I’ve seen in a loooooong time. I want thse now. haha
I’m going to buy bananas today but they can’t brown soon enough! Maybe this would be a great Valentine’s day weekend recipe, since I have next Monday off.
I was just craving banana bread…
Holy yum! I’ll take any excuse to eat cupcakes for breakfast
Thank you!! I have been craving frosting all weekend….I was going to make a trip to the store after work to pick up a container to eat when I get home but now I can just make these!!
Mmmmmh…cream cheese frosting
wow these look great! gonna bookmark this recipe. love cream cheese frosting too!
Jenna, these look delicious! I have a question about the buttercream: how long do you usually beat the mixture “until light and fluffy”? I have tried making it once before and I thought it looked good, but after a while it looked separated and greasy. My guess is maybe I didn’t beat it long enough. Thanks! I can’t wait to try again!
Monday did get a whole lot sweeter! I was definitely ina slump at work til I saw these babies. Toffee+banana+butter cream=bliss! I have to try these.
OMG. Now I am totally craving banana bread cupcakes!! MMM Going to make them tonight! Love the last post too! Totally makes me jealous that we don’t have mountains without driving 4.5 hours
Oh yum. Two of my favorite things just had a baby! What a beautiful baby it is.
This is a moment that takes my breath away. Now I have to make these cupcakes and brownies. Thanks.
I have been looking for a banana cupcake recipe for forever. These look great!
Thanks Jenna!
These look absolutely fantastic! I love the cream cheese frosting to top them off! Perfect breakfast!
I love the peanut toppings on your cupcakes. Peanut is a perfect match for banana and that’s why these cupcakes are so yummy!
I AM SO MAKING THESE!! yum yum! xo
So I made this weekend and I have to say that they were DELICIOUS. My Mom exclaimed they were beautiful and ‘mmmmm good’.. so I’d say they were a hit!
I’m so glad!!
I just bought all of the ingredients yesterday and I am so excited to make these for our valentines treat. LOL. This will surely be a hit to our beloved neighbors.
These look amazing! I would make these, but I live by myself and would eat them all!
I made these this afternoon and they are delicious. Even though I was originally looking for a banana bread-like cupcake, I actually love that these feel like cupcakes (super yum and moist cake cupcakes) and taste like banana bread. I did a different frosting, which I would also recommend–peanut butter (frosting)–but only if you’re sharing the cupcake because the cupcake itself is already thick and rich. But even with nothing on them, these are amazingly delicious!
Oh my gosh, Jenna, these are so good! I shouldn’t be surprised though – all of your recipes are fantastic. I am in love with your “yogi trail mix bars,” and I just tried and loved your “green tea smoothies.” Also: I think your trick for poaching an egg (adding vinegar to the water) was kind of life-changing. Will we be seeing a cookbook in your future?
Just read your “FAQ” section and saw that you ARE writing a cookbook, so in that case, let me just say that I am looking forward to seeing the finished product!
Oooh you star! I made these this morning (also around 7:30, as it happens) when I realised I had two play dates for the day, and no snacks for hungry 3-year-olds. Thanks so much for sharing such a great treat!
Not only were the cupcakes gobbled up with great glee, but I can happily report that your recipe is super-robust in the hands of early-morning, toddler-distracted cooks – short of butter, I topped up with peanut oil; out of granulated sugar, I used raw; and (gasp!) your careful alternate addition of wet and dry ingredients got a little lost somewhere around “oh my, look at the time, best just get these in the oven!”.
Never fear, though, these beauties turned out exactly as pictured (sans frosting, by the way – I figure I can leave that out til my daughter gets wise to the cupcakes=frosting equation; but still so good!).
Between two sets of friends and a peckish daddy, they look unlikely to last 24 hours
.
Just made these and they are amazing! Thank you!
I made these yesterday for my neice’s birthday. I was able to get 2 6 inch cakes for her smash cake as well as 6 cupcakes. They were a HIT! Thanks so much!
I really speculate how come you called this article, “Banana Bread Cupcake Recipe”.
In any event I adored the blog!Thanks for your effort-Cole
{ 4 trackbacks }