These Caramel Banana Cupcakes consist of banana cupcakes with a caramel surprise inside and are topped with a caramel and banana buttercream.
If you love banana desserts, you’ll also love these Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies or Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
I found myself with a bunch of ripe bananas a few weeks ago, and just had to remake this cupcake recipe from the archives. You can never have too many ideas for recipes with overripe bananas, in my opinion!!
I loved the caramel in the center of the cupcakes, but they do harden up a little bit, so if you are looking for a soft caramel center, I would suggest filling them with a caramel sauce or dulce de leche after they are baked. And I’ve updated the frosting recipe since first posting several years ago, and I think that this frosting is pretty amazing. There is caramel and banana in the frosting!! These are a delicious way to use those bananas up!
Why I Love These Caramel Banana Cupcakes
These cupcakes remind me a lot of a “fancier” banana bread – the banana flavor comes through well in the cupcake, and the frosting is very buttery, so it made me think of a slice of banana bread with a nice slather of butter on top.
But really, you can never go wrong with the combination of banana and caramel!
More Cupcake Recipes
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Banana Split Cupcakes
Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream
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Caramel Banana Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 18 cupcakes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Caramel Banana Cupcakes consist of banana cupcakes with a caramel surprise inside and are topped with a caramel and banana buttercream.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 cup mashed ripe banana
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
- 3 large eggs, separated
- One bag (5.5 oz) soft caramels
- 4 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- caramel sauce, for topping, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 12-count muffin tins with 18 liners.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 4 oz. (1 stick) of the butter with 1 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup of the bananas, the banking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and beat until smooth. Add in 1 cup of the flour and mix just until combined. Add in 6 tablespoons of the milk and the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and mix until combined.
- In another bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually mix in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar on high speed and continue to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter until no white streaks remain.
- Fill each of the cupcake liners about 3/4 full. Cut 9 of the caramels in half and add one piece to the center of each cup of batter. Bake in the preheated oven until the top springs back when touched, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes are baking, add the remaining caramels to a heavy saucepan. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of bananas and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and cook over medium heat until the caramels are melted.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar until thick, about 3 minutes. Slowly beat in the caramel mixture, then transfer the mixture back to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the remaining 8 oz (2 sticks) of butter at high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add in the cooled caramel mixture, then slowly beat in the remaining 4 cups of powdered sugar. Beat on high until light and fluffy.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and drizzle with caramel sauce, if desired.
Recipe Notes:
adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray September 2008
Keywords: caramel banana cupcakes
Chels R. says
What a great way to use up those ripe bananas!
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog says
Um, yes and yes, these look super amazing. Caramel? Banana? Buttercream? The combo sounds super amazing!
Nancy Caron says
OMG! Just made these— what a fantastic recipe! These are out of this world! Thanks so much for sharing. It’s certainly a keeper, I’ll tell ya.
Deborah says
so glad you liked them!!
Matt Robinson says
My favorite flavors in one bite, these are awesome, so glad you re-posted these!
dina says
this looks delicious! I love the hidden caramel!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
Love that caramel drizzle, beautiful cupcakes!
Catherine says
Wonderful cupcakes!!! Blessings, Catherine xo
Brighton says
I made these and they were amazing! I'm making the chocolate ganache cupcakes next.
Thanks for the recipes 🙂
Kevin says
The caramel and banana combo sounds great!
Bren says
what pretty cupcakes!
glamah16 says
I love the flavor combo. Nice change for chocolate.Hope the V Day was special.
Donna-FFW says
These are beautiful and I bet they taste fantastic. So delicious!!! Great flavor combination!
Rosie says
I think these cupcakes are just perfect for valentine’s Day!
Rosie x
Patricia Scarpin says
I love finding new ways of baking with bananas, Deb – and you are so right, they are terrific with caramel!
These look really delicious.
Paula says
Bananas with caramel?!!! Sign me up! If this is cheating, have at it! YUM! Sending sleep wishes your way!
n.o.e says
Well, my Valentine is allergic to chocolate; he’d no doubt love these cupcakes though! They look great.
Nancy
Brilynn says
Those are totally worthy of being served on Valentine’s Day or any day!
Elizabeth says
That flavor combo looks great!
Grace says
you’re not cheating–these are more than enough to fulfill me. heck, all you had to say was caramel. 🙂
Michelle says
Sure why not caramel and bananas for Valentine’s day? Hope you have a good one! 🙂
Ingrid says
Looks good to me. I don't care of chocolate cakes so this is more to my taste.
I have a banana cake in the freezer. I'm going to use "your" frosting when I defrost it! Dumb question but do I take it out & defrost in the fridge or counter? Now that I'm thinking about it I'm not sure. THX!
~ingrid
Maria says
I am glad you posted these cupcakes! They look fantastic!! Happy V-day to you!
kat says
Great flavor combination
bbaking says
mmm I love banana cakes!
I expect that lovely little lady of yours will take up some of the baking time now?
Ben says
Even if it is cheating, it still looks and sounds delicious. I don’t care for Valentine’s Day, but I would gladly eat those cupcakes. 🙂
Ning says
I would love to have a bite of these any day – valentines day or not!
Claire says
Well, I certainly think they’re Valentine’s Day worthy! Why must it be chocolate???
Elyse says
wow, you’ve really done it. i’m not a steak-girl and you have me wanting to try steak. i also happen to…how, do i put this nicely…not be bananas’ biggest fan, but your cupcakes have me wanting to try bananas too! again, this is a testament to the power of your yummy looking goodies!
noble pig says
I don’t think you can go wrong wit these, they would work for me for Valentine’s.
mikky says
great idea for valentine’s day… hope all is well with you and your new angel… 🙂