These banana pudding cupcakes are a playful twist on a classic summer dessert. The cupcake base is a soft vanilla crumb, filled with banana pudding and topped with creamy vanilla frosting and a gluten free vanilla wafer. A banana slice would also be a fun topping option.
I have to give credit where it’s due. The genius behind this recipe came from my husband, Ian. I floated the idea of a banana pudding-style dessert, and he immediately suggested a banana pudding-filled cupcake. This is my second cupcake-with-filling recipe of the year, so obviously I’m a fan. (Check out my hot chocolate cupcakes here!)
Here are a few tips to help with this recipe:
- A cupcake corer will make your life much easier. I couldn’t find the one that I have online, but here’s a good option.
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- There are a lot of steps involved with these cupcakes. The trick is to do them in the correct order. Have your cupcake ingredients warming to room temperature while you make the pudding, and then chill the pudding while you make the cupcakes. Get butter out for the frosting before you start making the cupcakes so that you can make the frosting while the cupcakes are in the oven. Once the cupcakes are cooled, everything will be ready for you to construct them!
- I used gluten free vanilla wafers as cupcake toppers. If you can’t find them in in your local grocery story then you can find them here!
Store them in the refrigerator but eat them at room temperature. They’ll taste best within three days of making them. You’ll also have a little bit of banana pudding left over — Ian’s tip is to mix it with the cupcake innards for a second dessert!
I can’t wait to hear what you think about this recipe! Tag me @rosesandwhiskers on Instagram if you try these banana pudding cupcakes and leave a comment below. Enjoy!
Banana Pudding Cupcakes
Ingredients
Filling Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tbsp + 2 tsp instant banana pudding mix
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream whipped
Cupcake Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour or substitute gluten-full flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk room temperature
Frosting Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 cup Crisco
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Filing Instructions
- Whisk together the condensed milk, pudding mix and whole milk until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the cream into the pudding mixture until completely incorporated. Cover and set in the refrigerator to chill.
Cupcake Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter, sour cream and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl to make sure each is incorporated. Mix in the extract.
- Mix in half of the flour mixture on low speed, followed by the milk and the remaining flour. Mix until just combined. You might need to gently whisk the batter to remove any remaining lumps.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line cupcake pans with wrappers or lightly grease with cooking spray. This recipe yields 14 cupcakes.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, filling each cup 2/3 full. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a middle cupcake comes out with a few moist crumbs. Leave the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting Instructions
- Cream the butter and Crisco until smooth. Mix in half of the powdered sugar on low speed. Then add the heavy cream, vanilla and remaining powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until just combined, and then beat on high speed until smooth and fluffy.
Constructing the Cupcakes
- Remove the middle of each cooled cupcake, leaving a hole that’s about 1.5 inches wide and about 2/3 the way down.
- Spoon the pudding into a piping bag with the tip cut off and fill each cupcake with pudding. Don’t fill any higher than the top of the cupcake.
- Use tip 1M to pipe a swirl on top of each cupcake. Top with a gluten free vanilla wafer and a banana slice (optional).
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container but serve at room temperature.
