Brown Butter Banana Cupcakes with Brown Butter-Cream Cheese Frosting
All the wonderful flavors of bananas, brown butter and cream cheese come together to create this delicious moist cupcake.
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (original recipe has 1/2 teaspoon)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3-4 medium brown bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature
Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
- 8 ounces plain cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4 cups (1 pound) confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Place 24 cupcake liners in cupcake pan.
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally or stirring with a spatula. The butter will start to foam and pop. When the butter starts to turn amber in color and has a nutty aroma, remove the pan from the heat. Pour the butter into a small bowl, making sure you get all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Put the bowl in the refrigerator to cool while you prepare the cake.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- In a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or spoon, beat together the brown butter and granulated sugar until well combined. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then mix in the mashed bananas and yogurt. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until the flour is fully incorporated. Take care to overmix.
- Divide the cake evenly into the cupcake liners. Bake for 15-18 minutes at 350° or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cupcakes are golden brown. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting. (However they will smell sooooo good - you might have to sample one before they cool!)
Frosting
- While the cake is baking, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally or stirring with a spatula. The butter will start to foam and pop. When the butter starts to turn amber in color and has a nutty aroma, remove the pan from the heat. Pour the browned butter into a small bowl, making sure you get all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Put the bowl in the refrigerator to cool for about 30 minutes.
- In the bowl of a standard mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cooled butter and cream cheese on high until smooth. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time. Beat on high until the sugar is fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla and salt, and then beat until the frosting is smooth.
- Fill piping bag and use your favorite tip to frost the cupcakes, or use a knife to apply frosting. Add sprinkles, edible glitter, wafer paper butterflies or maybe dried banana chips. Have fun.Ø
Notes
The original recipe called for this to a cake and to be baked in a 9 x 13 pan at 350 for 30-35 minutes. I have made 1/2 the recipe and baked the cake in an 8 x 8 pan for about 25-30 minutes. It takes 1 1/2 batches of the frosting to have enough for 24 cupcakes.
This tastes great the second day...if there is any left. Store in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to 4 days. One of the best ways to use your brown bananas!