Banana Caramel Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
These banana caramel cupcakes are a delicious combination of moist banana cake, filled with rich homemade caramel sauce, and topped with creamy caramel-infused cream cheese frosting. The cupcakes are garnished with toffee bits and fresh banana slices for an irresistible finish!
Ingredients
Homemade Caramel Sauce:
Use your favorite caramel sauce recipe or a store-bought version.
For the Banana Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon optional
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
2-3 overripe large bananas, puréed or mashed about 1 1/2 cups
For the Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting:
Use your preferred recipe or adapt it with caramel sauce from above.
Optional Garnishes:
Toffee bits
Extra caramel sauce
Fresh banana slices
Instructions
1 Make the Caramel Sauce:
Prepare a batch of homemade caramel sauce and let it chill in the refrigerator while you bake the cupcakes.
2 Banana Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven: to 350F 177C. Line a standard 12-cup cupcake pan and a second pan with 5 liners this recipe makes about 17 cupcakes.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon if using. Whisk to combine and set aside.
Cream butter and sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.
Add wet ingredients: Mix in the oil, sour cream, and vanilla until combined.
Incorporate eggs: Lower the mixer speed and add eggs one at a time, beating until fully incorporated and scraping down the sides as needed.
Add dry ingredients and banana: Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the banana purée, being careful not to overmix. The batter will be thick.
Fill cupcake liners: Scoop batter into cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
3 Make the Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting:
Prepare your frosting using caramel sauce from earlier, or your favorite recipe. Adjust sweetness to taste.
4 Assemble the Cupcakes:
Core the cupcakes optional: If desired, core the center of each cupcake using the bottom of a piping tip or an apple corer.
Fill with caramel: Spoon or pipe caramel sauce into the cored centers of the cupcakes.
Frost the cupcakes: Use two piping bagsone fitted with a large round tip and the other with a star tip. First, pipe an even layer of frosting with the round tip, smoothing the top with an offset spatula and rolling in toffee bits. Then, use the star tip to swirl a decorative layer on top.
Garnish: Drizzle additional caramel sauce over the frosting and garnish with fresh banana slices and more toffee bits if desired.
Enjoy these luscious Banana Caramel Cupcakes!