Description
Delight in the rich and indulgent Banoffee Cupcakes, featuring moist banana-infused cupcakes filled with luscious dulce de leche, topped with a silky semi-sweet chocolate ganache frosting. These cupcakes combine the classic flavors of banoffee pie in a perfect handheld dessert that’s ideal for parties or any sweet treat craving.
Ingredients
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
Banana Cupcakes
- ½ cup unsalted butter (measured then browned)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sour cream (room temperature)
- 1½ cups bananas (mashed then measured, about 3 medium bananas)
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (weighed in grams or spooned and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup dulce de leche (for filling)
Instructions
- Prepare Chocolate Ganache Frosting: Measure the chocolate chips into a heat-resistant bowl. Heat the heavy cream until simmering, then pour it over the chocolate to cover completely. Cover the bowl to trap heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Mix Ganache: Starting from the center, swirl a spatula around until smooth. Let it cool and thicken slightly. Proceed to make cupcakes while it cools.
- Whisk Ganache: Vigorously whisk the ganache by hand or mixer until it becomes light, fluffy, and forms stiff peaks. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip and set aside.
- Preheat Oven and Prep Pans: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line cupcake pans with liners, preparing for 15-16 cupcakes.
- Brown Butter: Cook the unsalted butter in a skillet over low-medium heat, stirring constantly until it smells nutty and brown bits form on the bottom. Carefully pour into a large heat-resistant bowl and let cool.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients and Bananas: While butter cools, mash bananas and measure 1½ cups. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: After butter cools, mix in light brown sugar and granulated sugar thoroughly. Stir in eggs, vanilla extract, sour cream, and mashed bananas until combined.
- Combine Ingredients: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until flour streaks disappear, being careful not to overmix.
- Fill and Bake Cupcakes: Fill cupcake liners about two-thirds full. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cupcakes: Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Core Cupcakes: Once cooled, cut out the centers about two-thirds down, saving the tops of the cutouts for later.
- Fill with Dulce de Leche: Pipe ½ cup dulce de leche into the hollowed centers, leaving room to replace cupcake tops.
- Replace Cupcake Tops: Place the reserved cupcake toppers back over the dulce de leche filling.
- Pipe Frosting: Finish by piping the prepared chocolate ganache frosting generously over each cupcake.
Notes
- Using room temperature eggs and sour cream improves batter mixing and cupcake texture.
- Be careful when browning butter—the flavor adds a nutty richness that enhances the cupcakes.
- The ganache frosting sets best if allowed to cool and be whipped to stiff peaks.
- Ensure cupcakes are completely cool before coring to prevent breakage.
- Dulce de leche can be substituted with caramel sauce if unavailable.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
