Banana Pudding Cupcakes With Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe

I’m excited to share my easy Banana Pudding Cupcakes filled with silky banana pudding, topped with whipped cream and a crunchy Nilla wafer surprise that hides a little secret.

I keep telling myself these Banana Pudding Cupcakes are silly, but every time I make them people freak out. The idea of a mashed ripe banana tucked into a tender cupcake, topped with a cloud of whipped cream frosting and a crunchy crown of Nilla Wafers sounds like cheating, but its totally true and messy.

I set out to make the Best Banana Pudding in a portable form and, not gonna lie, sometimes it worked too well. There’s something about the contrast of creamy and crisp that makes you want one more, even though you said you wouldn’t.

Ingredients

• Bananas: Sweet and creamy, adds natural sugar, moisture and fiber, ripeness changes flavor.
• All purpose flour: Gives structure and carbs, makes crumb, not much nutrients though.
• Unsalted butter: Adds richness and flavor, lots of fat so very tender cupcakes.
• Eggs: Provide protein, bind ingredients, help rise, yolks add richness.
• Sour cream or yogurt: Brings moisture and tang, adds tenderness and slight tangy zip.
• Instant vanilla pudding mix: Sweetens and sets filling fast, thick texture, adds vanilla flavor.
• Heavy whipping cream: Whips into light frosting, high fat for stability and creamy mouthfeel.
• Cream cheese (optional): Gives tang and stability to whipped frosting, makes it sturdier.
• Nilla Wafers: Crunchy, sweet crumbs add texture and nostalgia, simple cookie flavor.

Ingredient Quantities

• Cupcakes:
• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1 cup (about 2 medium) mashed ripe banana (about 225 g)
• Pudding filling:
• 1 (3.4 oz / 96 g) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cups (480 ml) cold milk
• 1/2 cup (about 115 g) mashed ripe banana
• Whipped cream frosting:
• 2 cups (480 ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, softened (optional for more stability)
• Topping:
• 1 sleeve (about 24 to 30) Nilla Wafers, some crushed some whole
• 1 small banana, sliced for garnish (optional)

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners, or grease well, set aside.

2. Whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl so it’s ready.

3. In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup softened butter with 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy, add 2 room temperature eggs one at a time, then 1 tsp vanilla. Mix in 1/2 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt) and 1 cup mashed ripe banana, scrape the bowl and fold in the dry ingredients just until combined, dont overmix or you’ll get dense cupcakes.

4. Divide batter among the liners about 2/3 full and bake 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Make the banana pudding filling: whisk 1 package (
3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding with 2 cups cold milk until thick, then fold in 1/2 cup mashed banana. Chill briefly so it firms up a bit, about 5 to 10 minutes.

6. Core the cooled cupcakes using a small knife or apple corer and fill each hole with the banana pudding (use a piping bag or spoon). Save the removed cake bits if you want to press them back on top for a little lid.

7. For the whipped cream frosting: chill your bowl and beaters if you can, beat 4 oz softened cream cheese until smooth (optional for more stability), in another bowl whip 2 cups cold heavy cream with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla to medium-stiff peaks then fold in the cream cheese until smooth. If you skip cream cheese just whip cream to stiff peaks. Keep it cold.

8. Frost the filled cupcakes with the whipped cream, pipe or spread as you like. Top with crushed Nilla wafers and a whole wafer or two for crunch, add a banana slice if using but put it on just before serving so it doesn’t brown.

9. Store cupcakes refrigerated in an airtight container, best eaten the same day or within 24 to 48 hours if you used cream cheese. Don’t freeze once frosted, the whipped cream texture won’t survive.

Equipment Needed

1. 12-cup muffin tin plus cupcake liners or nonstick spray
2. Mixing bowls (one large for batter, one medium for pudding/dry mix)
3. Measuring cups and spoons (and a kitchen scale if you like precision)
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a whisk if you’re doing it by hand
5. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon for folding and scraping
6. Whisk for the dry mix and to smooth the instant pudding
7. Paring knife or apple corer and a small spoon to core the cupcakes
8. Piping bag with a round tip (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped)
9. Wire cooling rack and a chilled bowl for whipping cream, dont skip chilling the beaters if you can

FAQ

Banana Pudding Cupcakes With Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour: swap in whole wheat pastry flour cup for cup for a slightly nuttier, tender crumb; or use a 1:1 gluten free baking blend (with xanthan gum) if you need gluten free — batter may be a tad denser.
• Unsalted butter: use solid coconut oil cup for cup for a dairy free option (will add a faint coconut note); or use neutral vegetable oil at 3/4 the butter volume (for 1/2 cup butter use 6 tbsp oil) for an extra moist cupcake.
• Sour cream or plain yogurt: replace with plain Greek yogurt cup for cup for the same tang and texture; or use buttermilk cup for cup for a thinner batter and tangier flavor, just don’t overmix.
• Heavy whipping cream (frosting): use chilled full fat coconut cream (scoop the thick part) cup for cup for a dairy free whipped frosting; or fold in 4 oz mascarpone or the optional 4 oz cream cheese to stabilize and make the frosting richer and longer lasting.

Pro Tips

1. Use very ripe bananas for max flavor, but not mushy and leaking. If yours are watery, roast them in a hot oven for 8 to 12 minutes to concentrate the flavor, then mash. Trust me you want flavor not extra liquid.

2. Make the pudding a bit thicker than you think you need so it wont ooze out when you pipe it in. Chill it until it’s cool and slightly firm, and use a piping bag for neater fills. Save the little cake plugs and press them back on top for a cute lid and less mess.

3. If these cupcakes need to travel or last more than a day stabilize the whipped cream. Fold in a few tablespoons of softened cream cheese, or bloom 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin in 1 tablespoon cold water, heat just until dissolved and cool slightly, then whip it into the cream. Keeps the frosting from turning soupy, but don’t overwhip.

4. Chill the cupcakes before coring so they don’t crumble, and only add banana slices right before serving to avoid browning. Store in the fridge in a single layer and eat within 24 hours for best texture.