Banana Split Cupcakes are based on one of my favorite ice cream treats and are maybe even better. While most banana cakes are heavy, this is a very light cake filled with pineapple and topped with Strawberry Buttercream. A drizzle of chocolate finishes this treat.
I made these in Texas muffin cups so they would hold a lot of the pineapple filling. The filling is straight from my The Marvelous Variable Kolache post with multiple fillings. The smaller cupcakes just seemed too small to hold all that goes into these beauties. These would be a perfect picnic bring along.
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Why I Love these Cupcakes
- First off, these just look gorgeous and inside there is a surprise.
- These taste incredible and are really easy to make.
- The banana cake, pineapple filling and strawberry buttercream are balanced so not one flavor dominates.
- Make no mistake though, these are boldly flavored for maximum enjoyment.
- No time to make them start to finish? The banana cupcakes and pineapple filling can be made ahead.
Why Use Butter and Oil?
Butter and oil are used because they preform different functions leading to this very light, tender cake. The butter adds flavor and fat that adds to the tenderness. The oil contributes to the tenderness and the ability of the cakes to stay moist for more days than butter alone. All butter cakes have a shorter lifespan than cakes made with oil. Buttermilk also contributes to the tenderness and long lifespan.
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When I owned my bakery, I originally thought I had to use all butter cakes because the bakery made upscale desserts. I quickly found out they did work for restaurants who often don't serve all of the dessert in one day because they would become dry. So, I switched to cakes that used at least some oil in them. By using oil, it also allows the dominant flavor to come through more strongly.
Need more recommendations for summertime cakes? We have so many you can try!
Recipe Ingredients
Pineapple Filling
- FRONT ROW: Lemon juice and cornstarch
- BACK ROW: Crushed pineapple and sugar
Banana Cupcakes
- FRONT ROW: Baking soda, salt, baking powder.
- SECOND ROW: Unsalted butter
- THIRD ROW: Vegetable oil, eggs, buttermilk
- BACK ROW: Cake Flour, granulated sugar and bananas
Strawberry Buttercream
I have used this strawberry buttercream with its intense strawberry flavor and smooth texture in several ways including Strawberry Buttercream Frosting as well as Strawberry Cake which is a delightfully light spring and summer treat.
- FRONT ROW: Milk, almond extract
- SECOND ROW: Unsalted butter
- BACK ROW: Powdered sugar, red food coloring and freeze dried strawberries
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the exact ingredients & instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
Pineapple Filling
Step 1. Mix the sugar and cornstarch together. Step 2. Add it to the well drained crushed pineapple. Step 3. Put everything into a small saucepan. Step 4. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is thick and a spoon run through it leaves a path. Remove from the heat and cool. This can be made a week ahead and stored in the refrigerator
Banana Cupcakes
Step 5. Place the bananas in the processor. Step 6. Process the bananas until smooth. Step 7. Measure 1 cup and add the oil and buttermilk. Mix together. Step 8. Whisk together the dry ingredients for the cake and set aside.
Step 9 Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer. Step 10. Cream them together until light. Step 11. Add the eggs, one at a time beating until combined completely. Step 12. Add the flour mixture and banana mixture alternately, starting and ending with the flour. Three additions of flour and two of the banana mixture is fine.
Step 13. Mix the first flour mixture on low until completely combined, scraping as necessary if you don't have a scraper attachment. Step 14. Add the first banana mixture and beat until combined. Step 15. Continue alternating until the flour and banana are all in. Step 16. Divide the batter between 9 large or Texas muffin tins lined with paper liners. I used a slightly overfilled #8 scooper to fill them about ¾ full in the left pan. The right pan was filled with the scooper cleaned off. The cupcakes are slightly smaller. I prefer the larger ones to hold the filling.
Step 17. To tunnel out the cupcakes for the filling, I used a large plain piping tip upside down. Step 18. Press it down in a circular motion to remove the cake. Do not go all the way to the bottom. To remove the cake from the pastry tip, poke it out using the back of a small spoon. Step 19. The initial hole is made. Step 20. Save the plugs removed from the cupcakes for later.
Step 21. Remove a bit more of the cake with a teaspoon to expand the size of the hole. Step 22. Fill the hole with about 1 tablespoon pineapple filling not quite to the top. Step 23. Replace the plug on top. Step 24. Pipe a swirl of strawberry buttercream on top of the cupcake.
Strawberry Buttercream
Visit my post on Strawberry Buttercream for Step by Step photographs.
Recipe FAQS
Yes they can either with or without the frosting as you prefer. If freezing, place them on a tray and freeze until hard. Then place them in an airtight container or wrap the tray really well in foil. Freeze for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature.
The short answer is no for the butter. The butter has to be softened to become light and fluffy when creamed with the sugar. It cream best around 72°F. Room temperature eggs are less lightly to curdle the batter when mixed in but that will be corrected with the addition of flour later.
It sure can. When adding the flour and liquid it is important to mix on low so the gluten in the flour does not become elastic. This is necessary when making bread, but it can change the texture of the cake making it chewy or dense.
Expert Tips
- Use a 16 to 20 ounce can crushed pineapple. Make sure to drain the pineapple really well before making the filling or it can be too loose when cooked.
- The filling can be made a week ahead and refrigerated.
- The cupcakes can be made in their totality several weeks ahead and frozen. Thaw at room temperature.
- Be sure to use freeze dried strawberries for the buttercream. They impart a very intense flavor.
- A few drops of red food coloring enhances the color after the buttercream is mixed.
- If you didn't have time or forgot to soften your butter, put the stick still wrapped on a plate in the microwave. Microwave for 3 to 5 seconds on each side turning the butter one quarter each time. It should be just perfect for creaming around 72°F.
- Using a ½", #6 open star piping tip will give your cupcakes a professional look.
If you love these Banana Split Cupcakes, It would be hugely helpful and so appreciated it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you.
Banana Split Cupcakes
Equipment
- Large Texas Muffin Cups
Ingredients
Pineapple Filling
- 1 ½ cups crushed pineapple, very well drained
- ½ cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Banana Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups cake flour (210 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup banana puree
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup oil
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (114 grams or 1 stick)
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (250 grams)
- 2 large eggs
Strawberry Buttercream
- 3 cups freeze dried strawberries (from 2 -1.2 ounce packages
- 2 ⅓ cups powdered sugar (300 grams)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (170 grams -1 ½ sticks)
- ¾ teaspoon almond extract
- Red food color, optional
- semisweet chocolate as needed
Instructions
- Line 9 large Texas muffin cups with cupcake liners. Set aside
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Pineapple Filling
- This will make more than you need. The extra filling is great on toast, a bagel (especially with cream cheese also), as an ice cream topping (loosen it with a bit of water) or as a topping for anything.
- Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together.
- Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and boil about one minute until a spoon drawn through it leaves a wide trail that does not fill in. Cool. This can be made a week ahead and refrigerated.
Banana Cupcakes
- Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Place the bananas in the bowl of a processor or blender and puree until smooth. Add the buttermilk and oil, whisk together and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well.
- Alternately add the flour and banana mixture, starting and ending with the flour.
- Fill the 9 cupcake liners about ¾ full. A #8 disher/scooper makes this easy.
- Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes until a tester comes out cleanly or they spring back when lightly touched. Cool completely.
Assembly
- See photos for the easiest way to do this.
- Using a large pastry tip upside down in the middle of the cake, core out the center. Save the plug just removed. Widen the hole a bit more with a teaspoon.
- Fill the hole generously with the pineapple filling and replace the plug on top. Set aside.
Strawberry Buttercream
- Place half the strawberries and half the powdered sugar the the bowl of a processor. Process until the strawberries are one with the powdered sugar. Repeat with the second half.
- Combine all of the ingredients except the food coloring in the bowl of a mixer. Beat on low to combine. Raise the speed to medium and beat until lightened. Add the food coloring as desired.
- Using a #6 or ½" open piping tip, finish the cupcakes with a swirl of buttercream.
- Melt a little semisweet chocolate at half power in a microwave. Dip a spoon in the melted chocolate and wave it over the iced cupcakes.
- The cupcakes can be stored for 3 days at room temperature or frozen for up to a month.
Notes
Nutrition
Linda W says
These cupcakes are so flavorful! I could have eaten the strawberry frosting with a spoon. I put a few frosted cupcakes in the freezer to check out how they hold up and have a second batch of the unfrosted cupcakes in the freezer on hold until I can get more freeze-dried strawberries from the store. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Linda - Should I mention that I have eaten the strawberry buttercream by the spoonful? Have you tried the Strawberry Cake? So easy and so, so good.
Linda W says
Oh my, that Strawberry Cake is now on my to-do list. I gave my daughter the 3 banana split cupcakes I had put aside to see how they would hold up in the freezer. Her words--"The cupcakes knocked my socks off." I referred her to your blog, as you have such fabulous recipes with detailed instructions and photos. Here's to a future of spoons full of strawberry frosting!
Helen S Fletcher says
Amen Linda!
Kathleen says
These look like a fun and delicious treat, Helen. I know there is baking powder in the recipe, baking soda is listed twice. Which ingredient is the correct amount for baking powder?
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Kathleen, Thanks so much for catching this. I have corrected the recipe. It is 1 teaspoon baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon baking powder. These are fun and soooooo good.