My favorite Coconut Banana Bread Cupcakes with a coconut twist, a sweet cream cheese surprise on top with a sprinkling of toasted coconut flakes!
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Is it a muffin or a cupcake?
Generally speaking, cupcakes are made with a higher amount of fat and sugar than muffins are. Cupcakes can be more of a decadent dessert, whereas a muffin is essentially a healthy, socially acceptable cupcake you can get away with eating for breakfast.
The addition of cream cheese frosting adds a tangy sweetness to the experience, and adds to the overall appearance of the presentation as well for these Coconut Banana Bread Cupcakes- a win-win!
Why should you use ripe bananas?
Usually, banana recipes require the use of ripe or “old” bananas. This is due to a number of reasons!
- Ripe bananas can be used as an egg replacement in baking as they help provide structure as the loaf rises
- The soft consistency makes the bananas much easier to mash uniformly
- This makes the bananas incorporate more smoothly into your batter
- Ripe bananas are sweeter and much more full of concentrated flavor as they ripen
When are your bananas considered ripe?
The darker the banana… the better. Once your banana skin has a number of brown freckles and large brown spots you know you’re ready for them to be used! Honestly… there’s no banana that’s “Too ripe” when it comes to baking with bananas.
To start the ripening process, allow the bananas to ripen at room temperature. Depending on the temperature in your kitchen, they could be ready in a few days or in a week. If you want to quicken the process, I would suggest placing the bananas in a brown paper bag for a few days and then check in on them!
Never throw away those “old” dark brown bananas! Stick them in the freezer to use the next time you make banana cupcakes – your future self will thank you!
Measure by volume, not bananas
When it comes to making banana cupcakes, I would suggest measuring the bananas by volume/weight instead of the number of bananas. A lot of recipes will mention using a certain number of ripe bananas, but I’ve found that using a specific unit of measurement helps to get the best most consistent results every single time.
How long are banana cupcakes good for?
Once your banana cupcakes are baked and cooled, they will be good for 1-2 days at room temperature. Place in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the fridge for longer shelf life. The banana cupcakes should be good for up to seven days if kept in the fridge. After one week, wrap the leftovers in plastic and place them in the freezer to enjoy later.
For more tips on how to store banana bread, head over to my in-depth guide!
Other delicious Banana Recipes to try!
As always, I love seeing your creations and hearing from you! If you try the recipe for these coconut banana bread cupcakes, please leave a review or share your creation with me on social media! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest - for more delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!
Coconut Banana Bread Cupcakes
Equipment
- Bowl
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Muffin/Cupcake Liners
- Muffin Baking Pan
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
Coconut Banana Bread Cupcakes
- 1.5 Cups (180 g) All Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 3 (360 g) Bananas, Ripe
- 1 Egg, large
- ⅓ cup (72 g) Coconut Oil , melted
- ⅓ cup (73 g) Light Brown Sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (80 g) Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ⅔ Cup (57 g) Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 Tablespoons (28 g) Unsalted Butter , softened
- ½ Cup (113.5 g) Cream Cheese , Softened
- ½ Cup (60 g) Sifted Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Paste, or vanilla extract
Toasted Coconut Flakes
- ½ Cup (42 g) Coconut Flakes
Instructions
Coconut Banana Bread Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare your muffin baking tray with muffin/cupcake liners.
- Add flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into a medium bowl and whisk until all ingredients are combined. Set aside.1.5 Cups All Purpose Flour, 1 teaspoon Baking Soda, ¼ teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- In a separate bowl, mash bananas with a fork until the majority of your bananas are smooth in a large bowl.3 Bananas
- Add the egg, oil, brown sugar, syrup and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Then add the dried ingredients and mix to combine. Finally, add the unsweetened coconut and stir to combine.1 Egg, ⅓ cup Coconut Oil, ⅓ cup Light Brown Sugar, ¼ cup Maple Syrup, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, ⅔ Cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
- Pour your batter into the prepared muffin liners and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
- Allow your coconut banana bread cupcakes to cool and enjoy!
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat together the softened butter and cream cheese on medium speed until it’s smooth and somewhat fluffy.2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, ½ Cup Cream Cheese
- Scrape down the sides, then add in the powdered sugar slowly and vanilla paste.½ Cup Sifted Powdered Sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Paste
Toasted Coconut Flakes
- Preheat oven to 350° F and prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Add coconut to the baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, stirring every few minutes until golden brown.½ Cup Coconut Flakes
- Remove coconut flakes from the oven and allow to cool
Assembly
- Place cream cheese frosting in a plastic bag or pastry bag and cut off the tip. Add a dollop of frosting onto each cooled cupcake and sprinkle with the toasted coconut flakes before enjoying!
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