Home » Inspiring Recipes » Salted Banana CupCakes with Caramel Frosting

Salted Banana CupCakes with Caramel Frosting

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️This recipe has been developed and tested by me and my family; it is not generated by AI.

These Banana Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting are light, fluffy, and moist with a classic banana flavor. These cupcakes would be perfect for dessert, a lunch date treat, a family party, or a special occasion.

Banana Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting on wooden background with a teacup

Banana Cupcakes With Salted Caramel Frosting

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time:
20 Minutes
Additional Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time:
55 Minutes
Servings:
12 Cupcakes

This is the ULTIMATE trio: Bananas, Sea Salt & Caramel Frosting.  Such a delicious combination.  Can you say Banana Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting? Yes, Yes you can.

The key to this recipe is using ripe bananas. The closer the bananas are to “turning brown,” the better. As the bananas turn, the sweeter they become, and the difference will make or break the sweetness of your cupcakes. You don’t want to end up with a bitter-tasting cake from newly picked bananas.

They’re truly perfect banana cupcakes. And if you’re not into bananas, you might enjoy these Vanilla Cupcakes with Fresh Blueberry Filling.

About these Banana Cupcakes

Time: Please set aside roughly two hours to make. This includes time for prepping, baking, cooling, and decorating.

Ease: Besides mashing the bananas, which is even easier if you use your mixer, the entire process is fairly simple. If you make your buttermilk, there is one extra step. See the recipe note below.

Texture: These banana cupcakes are not as dense and heavy as banana muffins. They are also not as light as a vanilla cupcake. They land somewhere in the middle.

banana cupcakes ingredients need for this recipe

Ingredients Needed

Please scroll down for a full ingredient list and printable recipe.

Banana Cupcakes

  • Bananas – Make sure your bananas are ripe. We often like them a little over-ripe.
  • All-purpose flour – Regular old flour works best. I would not substitute for cake flour. It will make these cupcakes way too light.
  • Granulated sugar – You don’t need to use super fine sugar. You could if this is what you have on hand.
  • Unsalted butter –Keep your unsalted butter at room temp. We will be adding sea salt. It is more easily controlled by measurements.
  • Buttermilk – Full-fat buttermilk is needed. The fat will help keep these cupcakes from falling apart. If you don’t have buttermilk, please see the note below to make your own.
  • Eggs – Left out at room temperature.
  • Vanilla extract – I always like to use a high quality vanilla. It does make a difference in taste.

Salted Caramel Frosting Ingredients

How to make homemade buttermilk

Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your DIY version of buttermilk if needed.

Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1/2 cup. Almond, soy, or oat milk will not perform the same way. I have tried.

Stir it around and let it sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.

banana cupcakes on wooden cutting board with banana slices scattered

How To Make These Cupcakes

STEP ONE: First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cupcake pan by placing your favorite liners inside.

STEP TWO: Then, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, add whisked flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt, and mix. Set aside.

STEP THREE: Using your electric stand mixer with the paddle, cream together the sugar, butter, and vanilla extract. Next, add the eggs, blending until well incorporated. Once well-blended, add in the mashed bananas. Mix well.

STEP FOUR: Working in three separate steps, add the flour mixture 1st (about 1/3 flour mixture each time), alternating with half of the buttermilk, and mix well. Continue the steps until all the mix is used.

STEP FIVE: Fill cupcake liners 3/4 way full. Place in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

Making caramel frosting for cupcakes in bowl

How To Make Frosting

STEP ONE: Beat unsalted butter on low speed and add vanilla. Slowly begin adding powdered sugar. Next, to get the right consistency, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk. Once well incorporated, then add in1/4 cup of melted caramel.

STEP TWO: Beat on low speed until powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and caramel are well mixed. Then move the mixer up to medium-high speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl often. When completely mixed, the frosting may appear dry.

If so, add more milk, a little at a time, until the frosting has the proper stiffness and feels thick.

STEP THREE: Frost cupcakes with a piping bag, then drizzle each cupcake with more caramel and top with a dash of sea salt each. Consider garnishing with a few bananas (dried or fresh).

banana cupcakes on display on wooden background

Other Great Dessert Recipes

Orange Crush Soda Cupcakes

Blueberry Sour Cream Pound Cake

Vanilla Cupcakes with Fresh Blueberry Filling

Southern Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Yield: 12 Cupcakes

Banana Cupcakes With Salted Carmel Frosting Recipe

Banana Cupcakes

These Banana Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting are light, fluffy, super moist with a classic banana flavor. Such a perfect flavor combo! These cupcakes would be perfect for dessert, lunch date treat, family party or for a special occasion.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 15 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

Banana Cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temp)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs (at room temp)
  • 2 large bananas, ripened & mashed
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk

Salted Carmel Frosting

  • 4 cups of powdered sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (at room temp)
  • 2 tsp of vanilla
  • 1-2 tbsp of milk
  • Ghirardelli Caramel for drizzle on top
  • Sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350' degrees. Prepare a cupcake pan by adding your favorite liners. Set aside.
  2. Mix in a separate bowl and add whisked flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix together
  3. Using an electric stand mixer with the paddle, cream together sugar, butter, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until well incorporated.
  5. Next mashed bananas blend all together.
  6. Working in three separate steps, add the flour mixture alternating with buttermilk, and mix well continue the steps till all mix is used.
  7. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 way full.
  8. Place in oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
  9. Let cool completely before frosting.
  10. To make the frosting - Add softened sticks of butter to a mixing bowl On low-speed beat in powdered sugar. Next add vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of milk.
  11. Once well incorporated then add in 1/4 cup of melted caramel.
  12. Beat on low speed until powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and caramel is well mixed. Then move the mixer up to medium-high speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When completely mixed the frosting may appear dry. Add more milk, a little bit at a time until frosting is the proper is a thick stiffness feel.
  13. Frost cupcakes using a piping bag. Then drizzle each cupcake with a little more caramel. Finish cupcakes by sprinkling each with sea salt.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 518Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 199mgCarbohydrates: 72gFiber: 1gSugar: 55gProtein: 4g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Disclosure Policy

Similar Posts

6 Comments

  1. Mmmm…these cupcakes look so yummy, and that salted caramel frosting is just divine!! 🙂 Pinned!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *