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Banana pudding cupcakes topped with vanilla buttercream, crushed vanilla wafers, and fresh banana slices on a white cake stand.
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🍌 Banana Pudding Cupcakes

These soft and fluffy banana pudding cupcakes are filled with creamy vanilla pudding and topped with smooth vanilla buttercream, crushed vanilla wafers, and fresh banana slices. Inspired by classic Southern banana pudding, these bakery-style cupcakes have real banana flavor, a tender moist crumb, and the perfect balance of sweetness and creaminess.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Southern
Keyword bakery style banana cupcakes, banana cream cupcakes, banana cupcakes with pudding filling, banana dessert recipe, banana pudding cupcakes, banana pudding dessert, banana pudding desserts, banana wafer dessert, easy cupcake recipe, homemade banana cupcakes, homemade pudding cupcakes, moist banana cupcakes, party cupcake recipe, southern banana pudding cupcakes, vanilla wafer cupcakes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chill time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 12 cupcakes
Calories 400kcal
Cost $10 for entire recipe

Equipment

  • 12-cup muffin pan
  • Cupcake liners
  • Mixing bowls
  • Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
  • Whisk
  • Rubber spatula
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • wire cooling rack
  • piping bag
  • Large piping tip
  • Cupcake corer or small paring knife

Ingredients

Banana Cupcakes

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 180g
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup mashed overripe banana about 1½ medium bananas
  • ½ cup full-fat sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons whole milk

Vanilla Pudding Filling

  • 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix 3.4 ounces
  • 1¼ cups cold whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Optional: 2 tablespoons whipped topping

Vanilla Buttercream

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2¼ cups powdered sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Small pinch salt

Toppings

  • Crushed vanilla wafer cookies
  • Mini vanilla wafers
  • Fresh banana slices
  • Optional caramel drizzle

Instructions

Banana Cupcakes

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together for 3–4 minutes until pale and fluffy.
  • Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  • Mix in vanilla extract and mashed banana until combined.
  • Mix in sour cream until smooth.
  • Add dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with milk. Mix gently just until combined.
  • Fill cupcake liners about ⅔ full.
  • Bake for 18–20 minutes or until tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Cool completely before filling.

Vanilla Pudding Filling

  • Whisk together pudding mix, cold milk, and vanilla extract for about 2 minutes until thickened.
  • Optional: Fold in whipped topping for a lighter texture.
  • Refrigerate for 10–15 minutes before filling cupcakes.

Fill the Cupcakes

  • Use a cupcake corer or small knife to cut a small center hole about 1 inch deep into each cupcake.
  • Fill each cupcake with about 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon pudding filling.

Vanilla Buttercream

  • Beat butter until completely smooth and creamy.
  • Gradually add powdered sugar.
  • Add vanilla extract, heavy cream, and salt.
  • Beat for 2–3 minutes until fluffy and light.

Decorate

  • Pipe frosting onto cupcakes.
  • Top with crushed vanilla wafers and mini wafers.
  • Add fresh banana slices immediately before serving.
  • Optional: Drizzle lightly with caramel sauce.

Notes

  • Use very ripe bananas with dark brown spots for the best natural banana flavor and sweetness. Underripe bananas will not give the cupcakes the same rich banana pudding taste.
  • Measure the flour carefully using the spoon-and-level method or a kitchen scale. Too much flour can make banana cupcakes dry and dense.
  • Do not overmix the cupcake batter after adding the flour. Gentle mixing helps keep the cupcakes soft, fluffy, and bakery-style.
  • Slightly reducing the milk in the pudding filling creates a thicker texture that stays inside the cupcakes instead of soaking into the cake.
  • Chill the pudding filling before using so it pipes neatly into the cupcakes and keeps a creamy texture.
  • Add fresh banana slices shortly before serving to prevent browning and excess moisture.
  • For extra banana pudding flavor, add a tiny splash of banana extract to the cupcake batter or pudding filling.
  • Crushed vanilla wafers add the classic banana pudding crunch and flavor contrast that makes these cupcakes taste nostalgic and homemade.
  • Store the cupcakes refrigerated because of the pudding filling and fresh banana topping.
  • These banana pudding cupcakes taste even better after chilling for 1–2 hours, allowing the flavors to blend together beautifully.