Oh, Banana Pudding... that creamy, dreamy Southern dessert that always makes me smile. But what if you could take all that goodness and turn it into a perfectly portable cupcake? These Banana Pudding Cupcakes are the answer! We're talking moist banana cake, creamy pudding filling, and a crunchy vanilla wafer topping. It's like a little taste of heaven in every bite! This dessert combines a true southern classic with the fun of cupcakes!
There is no one season that this recipe is popular for. Like the southern classic dessert banana pudding is, it can be eaten any time, for any occasion.
Jump to:
- What makes these cupcakes so special?
- Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
- Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
- Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- Necessary gear: Equipment
- How to store leftovers
- More banana pudding recipes I think you'll love
- Mel's kitchen notes
- Melanie Cagle
- Creamy Banana Pudding Cupcakes
- 💬 Comments
This was inspired by my Banana Pudding Tacos recipe and my Banana Pudding Brownies. If you're a banana pudding lover like me, you should try them next time.
What makes these cupcakes so special?
- Taste & Texture: The flavor profile of these cupcakes - perfectly moist yellow cake, creamy pudding, crunchy wafers.
- Convenience: The portability and individual serving size makes these so convenient.
- Kid-Friendly Appeal: These cupcakes are a huge hit with kids too. The perfect all around family dessert.
Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.
Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe steps. For more detailed instructions visit the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix the cake batter per the box instructions.
- Step 2: Line cupcake pans (muffin tins) with cupcake liners and divide batter by filling each one about ¾ full. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Step 3: In another medium bowl (or a small bowl) add the pudding mix to the whole milk.
- Step 4: Chop the bananas into small pieces.
Step 5: Add the chopped bananas to the bowl with the pudding mix and the milk, stir with a whisk to combine, then cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes or more.
Step 6: Hollow out the center of each cupcake (once cooled).
Step 7: Once the banana pudding filling has set spoon into a piping bag with a Wilton 4B tip. Pipe into each cupcake, filling them with the banana pudding.
Step 8: Add the cream, vanilla extract and powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat until stiff peaks form.
Step 9: Pipe the whipped cream onto the top of the cupcakes (on top of the banana pudding).
Step 10: Decorate each cupcake with a vanilla wafer then sprinkle with crushed vanilla wafers.
Hint: Make sure the banana pieces are small enough to fit through the tip of your piping bag or they will bottleneck.
Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- Cream Cheese - I've seen some versions of these banana pudding cupcakes that use cream cheese, both in the stuffing and in the frosting.
- Toppings - you could use a banana slice, but remember it blackens quite quickly. If it's just for show you could dip the slice of banana in citrus juice (orange, lemon, lime, pineapple). You could also add nuts or banana chips to the topping. Basically, whatever you might add to a banana pudding.
- Cool Whip- possibly mix cool whip for the topping.
- Banana Pudding - instead of vanilla pudding you could actually use banana flavored pudding.
- Banana flavored cake mix - there is a banana flavored cake mix, I just thought it might be too much banana but for those banana lovers out there, maybe not.
- Butter Cream Frosting - You could change out the cream topping and use a butter cream style frosting to top. It would be more like a cupcake.... but less like the classic banana pudding.
- Mini Vanilla Wafer - Instead of using the regular sized vanilla wafers, try using the mini type.
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Necessary gear: Equipment
This is the equipment I used for making this recipe. I do actually have a few links in the recipe card below, if it helps.
A large bowl to mix the ingredients, a medium mixing bowl. A stand mixer and a hand mixer (electric mixer).
Piping bags with tips, cupcake liners, a cupcake pan and a cooling rack.
How to store leftovers
Due to the nature of the stuffing and the fact that cream is used as the topping and not regular icing - these tasty banana pudding filled cupcakes really need to be refrigerated. Store in an airtight container for 1 day.
Due to the fact that real bananas are used the bananas will start to turn black and look unappetizing.
More banana pudding recipes I think you'll love
Check out this really cute Nutter Butter Turkey Cupcakes Recipe or this classic Bananas Foster dessert.
Mel's kitchen notes
If you don't have piping bags a really easy substitute is to use a resealable bag. Just snip the corner off.
About The Author
Melanie Cagle
Melanie is a professional cook, food photographer and Cajun food connoisseur. Since 2020 she has been sharing rigorously tested recipes and tutorials right here on this blog.
Her work has been featured on Fox News channels, Yahoo news, Southern Living and more.
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Creamy Banana Pudding Cupcakes
Video
Ingredients
- 1 (15 Ounce) Box Yellow Cake Mix
- 3 Each Large Eggs
- ⅓ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 Cup Water
- 1 (3.4 Ounce) Box Vanilla Pudding Mix
- 1-½ Cups Whole Milk
- 3 Each Bananas
- 1-½ Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- ¼ Cup Powdered Sugar
- 36 Each Vanilla Wafers
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl add the cake mix, eggs, oil and water. Mix on a medium-high speed for about 2 minutes.1 (15 Ounce) Box Yellow Cake Mix, 3 Each Large Eggs, ⅓ Cup Vegetable Oil, 1 Cup Water
- Spoon batter into a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Fill each one ½ - ¾ full.
- Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes.
- Remove and take each cupcake out and place on a cooling rack.
- While the cupcakes are baking add the pudding mix to a large mixing bowl then add the milk.1 (3.4 Ounce) Box Vanilla Pudding Mix, 1-½ Cups Whole Milk
- Stir in the chopped bananas. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes.3 Each Bananas
- Once the banana pudding is set and the cupcakes have cooled completely cut out a well in the middle of each cupcake.
- Spoon the banana pudding into a piping bag with a 4B fitting (or you could also use a resealable bag and snip the corner).
- Pipe the banana pudding into each cupcake.
- In a large mixing bowl add the heavy cream, vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks have formed.1-½ Cups Heavy Whipping Cream, 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract, ¼ Cup Powdered Sugar
- Put into another piping bag and pipe onto the top of the banana pudding.
- Decorate with vanilla wafers.36 Each Vanilla Wafers
Nutrition
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