Banana Pudding Cupcakes

This banana pudding cupcakes recipe turns a classic Southern banana pudding dessert into adorable and delicious little cupcakes. Bursting with banana flavor, no one will be able to resist these tasty treats!

These homemade banana pudding cupcakes are the perfect dessert for all your summer parties and picnics. Like our Banana Pudding Poke Cake, this is an easy recipe that starts with a simple boxed cake mix. Add fresh bananas and French vanilla pudding mix and you’ve got a delicious moist cake with plenty of homemade taste.

After that, the cupcakes are topped with a creamy vanilla frosting, sprinkled with crushed vanilla wafers and topped with a mini vanilla wafer cookie. This fun and easy cupcake makes a great gift, a delicious dessert, or a popular party treat.

Why We Love This Recipe

Crowd Pleaser – Banana pudding is a classic dessert and popular comfort food. Banana lovers will be head over heals when see their favorite treat in cupcake form.

Looks as Good as it Tastes – These banana cupcakes have a pretty pale-yellow color and are piled high with tons of creamy frosting. The cookie crumb topping and cute mini vanilla wafer on top make this a treat that’s almost too pretty to eat.

Easy and Convenient – Banana pudding is delicious but can be messy to serve. These tasty banana pudding cupcakes give you all the same flavor combinations wrapped up in an easy cupcake that’s perfect for parties.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• Yellow cake mix – the base for your cupcakes.
• Crushed vanilla wafers – adds texture and flavor to the cake.
• French vanilla pudding mix – gives rich vanilla flavor to the cake.
• Water – helps bind all the cake ingredients.
• Vegetable oil – adds moisture and texture.
• Large egg yolks – helps the cake rise.
• Large bananas, mashed – adds the fresh banana flavor.

For the Frosting:

• Salted butter, softened – adds flavor and texture to the frosting.
• Sweetened condensed milk – helps sweeten the frosting and make it creamy.
• Powdered sugar – gives the frosting its sweet taste.
• Vanilla extract – enhances the flavor of the frosting
• Crushed vanilla wafers – to decorate your cupcakes.
• Mini-vanilla wafers – adds the finishing touch!

How to Make Banana Pudding Cupcakes

For The Cupcakes

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Step 2: Place the cake mix in a large bowl and whisk in pudding mix and ¾ cup of crushed vanilla wafers.

Step 3: Add the water, oil, eggs, and mashed bananas. Mix on medium speed with an electric mixer (either a stand or hand mixer will work) until the ingredients are well incorporated.

Step 4: Spoon batter into the muffin cups until each is about 2/3 full, then sprinkle some of the remaining crushed vanilla wafers on top.

Step 5: Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Place on wire racks and let cool to room temperature before frosting.

For The Frosting

Step 1: In a medium bowl or a stand mixer, cream the butter and beat until light and fluffy.

Step 2: Slowly mix in the powdered sugar on low speed, 1 cup at a time. You’ll add the vanilla extract and a tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk in between each cup. Continue to mix for 1 minute or until the frosting becomes smooth and creamy.

Step 3: Prepare a piping bag and fill with the frosting. Frost cupcakes and top with more of the crushed vanilla wafers. Garnish each with a mini-vanilla wafer. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

• If you don’t have vanilla wafers, you can substitute shortbread cookies, sandies cookies, or even golden Oreos. You can also top your cupcakes with a dried banana slice or banana chips.

• To add some additional banana flavor, you can make a banana pudding filled cupcake. Before frosting, use a cupcake corer to remove the center of each cupcake. Fill the hole with the banana pudding filling, replace the top piece of the cupcake, then frost as usual.

• If you’d like your frosting to be a brighter and more vibrant shade of yellow, add a drop or two of yellow food coloring.

How Should I Store Banana Cupcakes?

Store cupcakes in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to three days. They can also be frozen in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 4 months.

More Delicious Cupcakes

If you love banana desserts, be sure and check out this collection of the Best Banana Dessert Recipes. Or for more cupcake recipes, these are some of our favorites.

• White Cupcakes
• Peach Cupcakes
• Oreo Cupcakes
• Coconut Lime Cupcakes
• Unicorn Cupcakes
• Vanilla Cupcakes