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Banana Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Close-up of a moist banana cupcake topped with richly swirled cinnamon frosting.
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Bake moist banana cupcakes from scratch and top them with a rich, spiced cream cheese frosting made with brown butter for deep flavor.

Ingredients

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  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups very ripe mashed bananas (about 3–4 medium bananas)
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk (or milk with 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice added)
  • For the Frosting: 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, browned and cooled slightly
  • 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1–2 tablespoons heavy cream (if needed)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. This step helps create a tender crumb.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
  5. Gently mix in the mashed bananas until just combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just incorporated. Overmixing develops gluten, resulting in tough cupcakes.
  7. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
  8. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  9. To make the frosting, brown the butter: Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the milk solids turn deep brown and smell nutty. Pour the browned butter into a heatproof bowl and let it cool until it is still liquid but no longer hot.
  10. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and cooled brown butter until smooth.
  11. Gradually beat in the sifted powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon until combined. Add the vanilla extract.
  12. If the frosting is too stiff, add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until you reach a smooth, spreadable consistency.
  13. Once the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe or spread the cinnamon cream cheese frosting generously onto each one.

Notes

  • For the moistest banana cupcakes, use bananas that are heavily spotted or almost black. The riper the banana, the more moisture and sweetness it provides.
  • If you want to add texture, fold in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans with the dry ingredients.
  • To make this recipe vegetarian, use standard dairy ingredients as listed.
  • If you do not have buttermilk, mix 1/4 cup of regular milk with 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for 5 minutes before using.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://blissbatter.com/banana-cupcakes-with-cinnamon-frosting/