The Ultimate Banana Pudding Cupcakes
These banana pudding cupcakes are just as good as my cake version! The vanilla cupcakes baked on top of a vanilla wafer cookie and layered with vanilla pastry cream, fresh banana slices, and fresh whipped cream are just a dream.
Banana pudding is another one of my all time favorite flavors. I LOVE baking with bananas and the textures from the vanilla wafer cookies with the fresh banana slices, vanilla pastry cream and whipped cream are just the best.
I made this banana pudding cake (one of my all time favorite cakes) a couple years back and I kept saying I would make more with this flavor so this is my mission this year! You will be seeing lots of banana pudding.
How To Make Banana Pudding Cupcakes, Step-by-Step Photos
Vanilla Pastry Cream
- Start making the pastry cream by whisking together the egg, sugar, cornstarch and salt until they’re smooth.
- Heat the milk and then use it to temper the eggs. Then return the whole mixture to the pot.
- Cook the pastry cream for just a couple of minutes, until it starts to thicken, whisking aggressively and then pour it into a bowl with the butter and vanilla.
- It’ll split at first but as you whisk, the butter and pastry cream will come back together and be smooth and silky.
- Cover the top of the pastry cream with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill.
Vanilla Cupcakes
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until they’re evenly distributed.
- Add the room temperature butter and the oil and use an electric mixer to beat them at medium, until they’re crumbly like a streusel.
- Add the egg and mix just until it’s well combined and the batter looks like paste.
- Add the sour cream and turn the mixer to low speed while streaming in the milk.
- Scrape the edge of the bowl and give it a good mix. Place a vanilla wafer cookie on the bottom of each cupcake liner and then fill the cupcake liners about ¾ full. I recommend weighing them so each cupcake has 45-50 grams of batter.
- Bake for 18ish minutes, until the tallest part of the cupcake, in the center, springs back when you press on it. If you’re hesitant, give it another minute or so. They’ll be a little domed but when you remove them they may sink just a little – this is because they’re sensitive and the wafer cookie on the bottom disrupts their perfect bake but it’s fine because it holds our topping better anyway lol.
- Let the cupcakes rest for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove them from the pan to cool completely.
Whipped Cream
- Whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla, once the cupcakes and the pastry cream have cooled completely and you’re ready to assemble.
- Thinly Slice the bananas and toss them with a little lemon juice to prevent them from browning on the cupcakes.
- Pipe a layer of pastry cream on top of the cupcake (I do about half as much as I would normal frosting).
- Layer on a few slices of bananas.
- Pipe a layer of whipped cream on top of the bananas and top with some crushed vanilla wafer cookies.
How To Store Banana Pudding Cupcakes
These definitely need to be refrigerated so I recommend placing them in an airtight container and refrigerating them for 4-5 days. Freeze if it’s any longer than that.
To freeze the cupcakes, place them in an airtight container and then place the container in a freezer bag, squeezing out all the excess air. Bring them back to room temperature by thawing at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
That’s all I got for ya today, I hope you enjoy this fabulous take on banana pudding and if you have any questions, please comment down below – those will get answered much quicker than email or through social media.
If you’ve tried this, I would very much appreciate a star rating or review as well.
As always, have a blessed day and happy baking!
Love, B
The ULTIMATE Banana Pudding Cupcakes
These banana pudding cupcakes are just as good as my cake version! The vanilla cupcakes baked on top of a vanilla wafer cookie and layered with vanilla pastry cream, fresh banana slices, and fresh whipped cream are just a dream.
Equipment
- 1 silicone or rubber spatula
- 1 medium saucepan
- 1 offset spatula
Ingredients
Vanilla Pastry Cream
- 3 large egg yolks (or 1 egg)* room temperature
- 1/4 cup (45g) granulated sugar scant cup
- 3 Tbsp (30g) cornstarch
- tiny pinch fine sea salt
- 1 cup (8oz) whole milk
- 3 Tbsp (42g) salted butter room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 172 grams (1 1/2 cups) cake flour spooned and leveled
- 5 grams (1/2 Tbsp) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 56 grams (1/4 cup) salted butter
- 60 mL (1/4 cup) canola oil or any neutral oil
- 1 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 113 grams (1/2 cup) sour cream room temperature
- 80 mL (1/3 cup) milk room temperature
- 13 vanilla wafers
Whipped Cream/Chantilly Cream
- 120 mL (1/2 cup/4 oz) heavy whipping cream cold
- 25 grams (2 Tbsp) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- tiny pinch fine sea salt
Toppings/Fillings
- 1 large bananas sliced (ripe enough to eat but not over-ripe)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 vanilla wafers crushed
Instructions
Vanilla Pastry Cream
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg (or egg yolks), sugar, cornstarch and salt aggressively for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture becomes smooth and runny, with no more chunks.3 large egg yolks (or 1 egg)*, 1/4 cup (45g) granulated sugar, 3 Tbsp (30g) cornstarch, tiny pinch fine sea salt
- In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat, just until it comes to a simmer.1 cup (8oz) whole milk
- Temper the eggs by streaming half of the milk into the egg mixture while continuing to whisk.
- Dump the whole mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, while whisking continuously.
- Within 1-3 minutes, the mixture should start to thicken, continue whisking, making sure to scrape the edges and center of the pan.
- Once it's starting to stick to the pan, whisk aggressively for another 30-60 seconds. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl with the butter and vanilla.2 tsp vanilla bean paste, 3 Tbsp (42g) salted butter
- Allow the heat from the pastry cream to melt the butter for a second and then gently whisk it. It may separate at first but it'll come back together as you whisk.
- The pastry cream should be smooth and silky now, if you have any lumps, feel free to push it though a sieve.
Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F/177C convection (325F/163C conventional) and line 13 muffin tins with cupcake liners (preferably a light colored pan).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, salt and sugar until they're evenly distributed (whisk well).172 grams (1 1/2 cups) cake flour, 5 grams (1/2 Tbsp) baking powder, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
- Add the oil and butter to the dry ingredients and beat together until they're combined.56 grams (1/4 cup) salted butter, 60 mL (1/4 cup) canola oil
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and paste and mix until they're fully combined.1 large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the sour cream and turn the mixer to low speed, while streaming the milk in. Scrape the edge of the bowl and mix just until the cupcake batter is smooth.113 grams (1/2 cup) sour cream, 80 mL (1/3 cup) milk
- Place a vanilla wafer cookie on the bottom of each cupcake liner and then fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full. I recommend weighing them so each cupcake has 45-50 grams of batter.13 vanilla wafers
- Bake for about 18-20 minutes. They are done when you press on the center of the cupcake and it springs back or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove them from the oven and let them cool in the cupcake pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
Whipped Cream
- Sift the powdered sugar and salt into the bowl of the stand mixer, fit with a whisk attachment (or a large bowl with a handheld mixer).25 grams (2 Tbsp) powdered sugar, tiny pinch fine sea salt
- Pour the heavy whipping cream on top, along with the vanilla and turn the mixer up to medium speed for a few seconds until it starts to thicken (if you go full speed it will splash everywhere).120 mL (1/2 cup/4 oz) heavy whipping cream, 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- Turn the mixer up to medium-high and whip just until it holds stiff peaks.
- If you over-mix and it’s no longer smooth, add a little more cream and fold it in until it’s smooth again.
Assemble
- Once the cakes and the pastry cream have cooled, slice the bananas and toss them into a bowl with the lemon juice (you won't taste the lemon juice but it'll prevent them from turning brown).1 large bananas, 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- Place the first layer of cake onto a flat surface and spread a good layer of pastry cream on top.
- Then a single layer of banana slices on top of the pastry cream and followed by a layer of vanilla wafer cookies (I used minis so I left them whole).2 vanilla wafers
- Top with a generous layer of whipped cream and then another layer of cake. Repeat and then top with the last layer of cake.
- Spread the rest of the whipped cream on top and decorate with some bananas and wafer cookies.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least a few hours to set and slice easier. Serve cold or slightly chilled. Store refrigerated.
Notes
*Pastry cream can be made with either 3 large egg yolks or 1 large egg – egg yolks will just give a richer flavor and darker color, I used 3 large egg yolks in this recipe but in my cake I used the whole egg – either way is just fine depending on if you want/need egg whites for something else!
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupcakeCalories: 331kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 4gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 189mgPotassium: 128mgFiber: 1gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 504IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 0.4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!