These Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes are fluffy banana cupcakes filled with creamy vanilla custard and topped with banana frosting. It’s the perfect sharable version of classic banana cream pie. You won’t be able to eat just one.

A banana cream pie cupcake with a bite taken out of it.

I am such a big fan of banana desserts and have made quite a few fun banana treats over the years. At the top of our list of favorites is definitely my Banana Cream Cheesecake and Banana Pudding Cheesecake, along with these Banana Pudding Popsicles. I love turning a traditional dessert into something unique and these banana cream cupcakes do exactly that.

This recipe has actually been updated from the original version. While I loved the original, when updating them I decided that the cupcake base could have more banana flavor. So I tried them with the cupcake from my Banana Cupcakes Recipe and fell even more in love with these. The filling is the same, the buttercream is the same, but the cupcake itself got an upgrade. Now they have even more amazing banana flavor that you simply won’t be able to resist.

Lindsay, author of Life Love and Sugar, holding a plate of cupcakes and smiling.

Why You’ll Love These Cupcakes

The BEST texture combo. The combination of the moist and fluffy banana cupcake next to the smooth, creamy filling and the fluffy buttercream is to die for. So good!
A reimagined classic. These irresistible cupcakes take the concept of a classic Banana Cream Pie and turn it into the perfect sharable dessert. All of the velvety, creamy custard and real banana flavor without the hassle of slicing and plating.
Real banana flavor. From the mashed bananas in the cupcake batter to the powdered banana chips in the frosting, there’s plenty of real-deal banana flavor in these awesome cupcakes.

Ingredients for banana cream pie cupcakes.

Ingredient Notes

Most of the ingredients are straight-forward, but there a few to pay extra attention to. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card below for precise measurements.

All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure your four accurately with a food scale or using the spoon and level method. Otherwise, you won’t get the texture you’re looking for. Check out my post on How to Measure Flour Correctly for more information.
Mashed overripe bananas – Not too ripe, though. Aim for bananas that are very heavily speckled but not totally brown. If they are too ripe, they may be more liquid than solid and not turn out right.
Milk – I highly recommend whole milk in this recipe. The high fat content is especially needed in the cream filling. In a pinch, you may be able to get away with 2%, but your filling will be a little thinner.
Heavy whipping cream – The heavy cream should be chilled. If it is too warm, it won’t whip up and hold volume properly.
Powdered sugar – If you want to reduce the amount of sugar in the buttercream, you can. Just keep in mind that it will turn out thinner and you won’t have as much of it.
Banana chips – Add them to a food processor to grind them into crumbs. Banana chips are quite firm, so it can take a minute. I did experiment with using freeze-dried bananas (and you could totally use those), but we did a side-by-side test and the flavor is much more natural and delicious with the banana chips.

Overhead image of banana cream pie cupcakes on a serving platter.

How to Make Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes

Let’s get this party started! Here’s a quick overview of how to make banana cream cupcakes. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

Make the Cupcakes

Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F (176° C) and line a cupcake pan with liners.
Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

Creaming together butter, oil, and sugars for banana cupcakes.

Beat the butter, oil, and sugars until light in color and fluffy.

Mixing eggs and vanilla into cupcake batter.

Mix in the the eggs (one at a time), followed by the vanilla extract.

Adding dry ingredients and mashed bananas to cupcake batter.

Mix in half of the dry ingredients, followed by the milk and mashed bananas. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients.

Filling lined cupcake tins with banana cupcake batter.

Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 15-18 minutes.

Let the cupcakes cool completely.

Make the filling

Combine. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together in a medium saucepan and then whisk in the milk.
Thicken. Cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken and simmer, stirring continuously. Do NOT boil.
Temper. Whisk a little of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk. Whisk the egg mixture into the rest of the milk mixture.
Thicken more. Bring the filling to a light boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
Finish it off. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.

Custard filling for banana cream pie cupcakes.

Transfer the filling to a bowl, press a sheet of clear wrap gently into the top, and chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

Folding whipped cream into custard filling for banana cream pie cupcakes.

Beat the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form and fold it into the chilled filling. Chill in the fridge while you make the buttercream.

Make the buttercream and assemble

Make the buttercream base. Beat the butter until smooth. Beat in half of the powdered sugar followed by the vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of cream. Mix in the remaining powdered sugar.
Grind and add banana. Grind the freeze-dried bananas into a fine powder in a food processor . Mix it into the buttercream.
Get the consistency right. Add additional cream, if needed.

Remove the centers of the cupcakes with a cupcake corer.

Add a tablespoon of pastry cream to each cupcake core.

Piping banana frosting onto banana cream pie cupcakes.

Pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes.

Tips For The Best Cupcakes

Measure carefully. When measuring the flour in particular, use a food scale or the spoon and level method. Too much flour will give you dry cupcakes.
Don’t skimp on creaming time. Beating the butter, sugar, and oil incorporates air into the batter, helping you achieve light, fluffy cupcakes. So, don’t skimp on this step. Cream until the mixture has lightened in color and has become fluffy.
Don’t over-mix. Once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until everything is incorporated. Over-mixing can cause the glutens in the flour to overdevelop, resulting in tough, overly dense cupcakes.
Keep things moving. When thickening the filling (from start to finish), stir continuously. This will help keep the milk from scalding, the eggs from scrambling, and the custard from cooking unevenly. It’s an essential part of getting a smooth, velvety filling.
Don’t overcook. If you boil the filling for too long (or at too high a heat), it will break down, rather than thickening. So boil gently and just until the filling has thickened. Then, remove it from the heat.
Don’t forget the clear wrap. Be sure to gently press a sheet of clear wrap into the top of the custard before you set it in the fridge to chill. Otherwise, a film will form on top.
Fold gently. When folding the whipped cream into the custard, do so gently so as not to knock the volume out of it.

Closeup image of banana cream pie cupcakes on a serving platter.

How to Store

Refrigerator. Seal the cupcakes in an airtight cake carrier (or an airtight container that’s tall enough to accommodate the frosting). You can store them in the fridge for up to 4 days. They do need to be stored in the fridge, because of the filling, but I recommend letting them come closer to room temperature for serving so that the buttercream isn’t too firm.
Freezer. Seal the cupcakes in an airtight, freezer-safe container tall enough to accommodate the frosting. You can store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw in the fridge before enjoying.

Cakes and Cupcakes, Recipes, Sweets and Treats,

4.78 from 9 votes

95 Comments

Colleen says:

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Lindsey I switched the topping to brown sugar buttercream and it was delicious! CM

Heather says:

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I crushed the banana chips in my food processor very well and put them in the icing. Now the icing feels grainy! I love the cake but I can’t get past that grainy texture in the icing. Did your icing turn out grainy?

1. Lindsay says:
  
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  Mine wasn’t grainy. I know you said they were ground well, but that’s likely the issue. I’m sorry you’re having trouble with it. These days you can actually buy freeze-dried bananas, which will work even better. Not so hard to crush.
  
Barb Powell says:

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I have made the cupcake portion and frozen them. Will in thaw and fill on the party day. Can I make the frosting and refrigerate it for a day or two before frosting the cupcakes?

1. Lindsay says:
  
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  Yes, the frosting can be refrigerated for up to a week, and frozen for up to 3 months. Just bring it to room temperature before using.
  
Nicky says:

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These cupcakes were amazing, when my cream filling was done cooling I completely forgot about the whipping cream, was not even necessary as cream filling was like a custard, truly a fabulous cupcake

1. Lindsay says:
  
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  I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
  
Tee says:

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Can’t wait to try these! How long can they sit out, say for a shower? You mentioned freezing them, can they be frozen after frosting?

1. Lindsay says:
  
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  I think the longest you’d want them to sit out would be a couple hours. While the cupcakes and frosting would freeze fine, the filling may not do as well because of the cornstarch.

Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes

Why You’ll Love These Cupcakes

Ingredient Notes