Last updated on October 27th, 2023 at 01:57 am
Hey there, fellow baking enthusiasts! Today, I’m going to share my mouth-watering recipe for easy Banana Pudding Cupcakes that look fancy but really aren’t that hard to make. These little bites of heaven are perfect for any occasion, from family gatherings to potlucks and everything in between. So, grab your apron, and let’s dive right in!
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Pro Tips for Baking Banana Pudding Cupcakes
Before we embark on our baking adventure, let’s go over some pro tips to ensure your Banana Pudding Cupcakes turn out absolutely fabulous:
1. Use Overripe Bananas
The secret to the most flavorful banana cupcakes is using overripe bananas. You know, the ones with brown spots all over the peel? These bananas are not only sweeter but also have a more pronounced banana flavor. Usually, when I see that we have bananas like that and I’m not ready to bake with them, I just throw them in the freezer. Then, you just have to take them out of the freezer an hour or so before baking.
2. Mix Carefully, and Don’t Over-Mix
To achieve a moist and tender crumb, make sure to balance the wet and dry ingredients properly. When you’re combining the wet and dry mixtures, do so gently and avoid overmixing. Overmixing can lead to tough cupcakes, and we want these to be light and fluffy. You can see the instructions below for more detail
3. Don’t Skip the Pudding Filling
The pièce de résistance of these cupcakes is the pudding filling. Don’t skip this step! It’s what takes your cupcakes from good to absolutely extraordinary. See below for instructions on how to make filled cupcakes. It’s easier than you might think!
Tools Needed for Banana Pudding Cupcakes
Now, let’s talk about the tools you’ll need to create these delectable Banana Pudding Cupcakes.
Cupcake Coring Tool
You will need one special tool for best results for these cupcakes. This tool will allow you to remove a piece of cupcake from the center of your baked cupcake so that you can add that pudding filling.
To use the tool, you just push down in the center of your cupcake to cut out a little cylinder of cupcake you. You carefully remove that little piece, and then spoon in some pudding filling. It doesn’t take a lot of filling really! Then, you replace the little piece you removed back on top.
Your cupcake may look a little strange, but we’re going to cover up that hole in the middle with some frosting, anyway!
Foil or Non-Stick Cupcake Liners
I recommend you use foil liners or non-stick liners for banana cupcakes. For some reason, bananas love to stick to regular paper liners, and then you don’t get all of your yummy cupcake because some of it stays stuck to the liner.
Piping Bag and Piping Tip
For the easiest, laziest way to make your cupcakes look pretty, use a piping bag and a frosting tip. I like to use the Wilton 1M tip. You can just pipe the frosting on top of your cupcake, making a circle and your cupcake instantly looks professional!
How to Make Banana Pudding Cupcakes
Now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for—the step-by-step guide on how to make these heavenly Banana Pudding Cupcakes:
Note: This cupcake base is the same as my recipe for Banana Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream.
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
– 2 cups all-purpose flour
– 1 teaspoon baking powder
– ½ teaspoon baking soda
– ¼ teaspoon salt
– ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
– ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
– ¾ cup granulated sugar
– 3 large bananas
-2 large eggs
– 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
– ½ cup buttermilk (or a DIY substitute: mix 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon or lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes. Only use half for this recipe!)
For the Banana Pudding Filling:
– Any vanilla (Or banana!) pudding. I just used Snack Pack pudding that was pre-made.
Frosting:
– 1 cup butter, softened
– 4 cups powdered sugar
– 1 ½ tsp vanilla
-2 Tbsp milk (Or heaving whipping cream if you have it)
– Crushed vanilla wafers (optional to sprinkle on the top at the end)
Instructions:
Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your muffin tin with foil or non-stick cupcake liners.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set this dry mixture aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In another bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add Eggs, Vanilla and Bananas: Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract and finally bananas.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately in small portions, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; avoid over-mixing.
Fill Cupcake Liners: Divide the cupcake batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. I use a ¼ cup measuring cup to ensure all my cupcakes are the same size
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Prepare Banana Pudding Filling: While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the pudding filling if you went with a box pudding that needs to be prepared. Otherwise, skip this step.
Fill the Cupcakes: Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, use your cupcake coring tool to remove a piece from the center of each cupcake. Carefully spoon some pudding into the middle of the cupcakes, and then put the piece you cut out back on top.
Make Frosting:
In a large mixing bowl, using your stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat the butter and powdered sugar until combined.
Then, add in vanilla and milk or heavy whipping cream. Keep beating everything until it’s all smooth. If your frosting seems a little thick, add in more milk a teaspoon at a time.
Decorate: Place a frosting tip in a piping bag, and carefully add your frosting. Pipe the frosting on top of your cupcakes. Add Crushed vanilla wafers (or anything else you want) to the top of the frosting as garnish.
Serve and Enjoy: Your Banana Pudding Cupcakes are now ready to be devoured!
There you have it, folks—my irresistible Banana Pudding Cupcake recipe! Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a newbie in the kitchen, this recipe is a winner.
Banana Pudding Filled Cupcaes
Ingredients
Banana Cupcake Base
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 bananas overripe, mashed
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
Pudding Filling
- 1 cup pre-made vanilla (or banana!) pudding
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp milk (or heavy whipping cream)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- Crushed Vanilla wafers for garnish
Instructions
Make Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, fill a muffin tin with non-stick or foil liners.
- Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, vanilla and banana to butter and sugar. Mix until well-incorporated.
- Add in half of the dry ingredients and mix a little. Then, add in buttermilk and mix and little. Then, add in the rest of dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Try not to over-mix.
- Fill your muffin tin cups about 3/4 of the way full. I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to measure up the batter.
- Bake your cupcakes for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Fill Cupcakes with Pudding
- Let your cupcakes cool completely before filling them with pudding.
- If using pudding mix from a box, prepare your pudding according to the instructions.
- Using your cupcake coring tool, remove a piece from the center of each cupcake.
- Carefully spoon pudding into the hole you made in the center of the cupcakes. Then, replace the piece that you removed with the cupcake coring tool.
Frost the Cupcakes
- Combine all your frosting ingredients and mix together on low speed at first, and then eventually increase the speed. Mix until everything is smooth and even. If your frosting is too thick, add in more milk 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Fill a piping bag with a piping tip and frosting. Pipe the frosting onto your cupcakes.
- Optional: Garnish your frosted cupcakes with Vanilla wafer cookies.
