Banoffee Cupcakes are moist banana cupcakes filled with dulce de leche and finished with a light, whipped chocolate ganache frosting. The blend of ripe banana, caramel-like dulce de leche, and chocolate creates a rich, nostalgic dessert that’s both indulgent and comforting.
Banoffee combines banana and toffee flavors, a classic pairing from England most often served as a pie. This recipe adapts that idea into individual cupcakes, using store-bought or homemade dulce de leche for the filling. The cupcake batter benefits from browned butter for a subtle nutty, caramel note—similar to other banana-baked goods like Chocolate Chip Banana Bundt Cake.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Transforms overripe bananas into a decadent treat.
- Using store-bought dulce de leche saves time without sacrificing flavor.
- Whipped chocolate ganache is airy, rich, and spreads easily for beautiful presentation.
- Familiar flavors arranged in a dessert format your friends and family will enjoy.
Ingredients
- Overripe bananas—they give the best banana flavor and moistness.
- Unsalted butter—browned to add nutty, caramel-like depth to the batter.
- Sour cream—keeps cupcakes tender and moist.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips—use good-quality chocolate for the ganache.
- Dulce de leche—store-bought works well, or make your own from sweetened condensed milk.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full ingredient details.
Substitutions & Variations
- Swap the whipped ganache for whipped cream, cream cheese frosting, or a simple buttercream.
- Use canned or homemade dulce de leche depending on how much time you have.
- Instead of coring the cupcakes, spread the dulce de leche on top before frosting for an easier option.
If you try other variations, note any adjustments and how they turned out.
How to Make Banoffee Cupcakes
Step 1: Brown the unsalted butter over medium-low heat until it smells nutty and small brown bits form. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and let cool until just warm.
Step 2: Make the ganache by pouring hot cream over chocolate chips. Cover and let sit 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Allow it to cool and thicken while you prepare the cupcakes.
Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk the cooled browned butter with light brown and granulated sugars. Add eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and mashed bananas; mix until combined.
Step 4: Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined.
Step 5: Fill 15–16 cupcake liners about two-thirds full and bake at 350°F (175°C) until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18–22 minutes. Cool in the pan 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 6: Once the ganache has cooled and thickened, whisk it vigorously by hand or with a mixer until light and fluffy with stiff peaks. Transfer to a piping bag.
Step 7: When cupcakes are completely cool, remove a cone-shaped piece from each center (about two-thirds down). Spoon or pipe dulce de leche into the cavity, then place the reserved cake piece back on top.
Step 8: Pipe the whipped chocolate ganache over each filled cupcake and serve.
Expert Baking Tips
- Ensure cupcakes are fully cooled before coring and filling; warm cupcakes will cause the dulce de leche and frosting to melt.
- Use a sharp knife or a cupcake corer to remove centers, stopping before you reach the bottom so the filling stays contained.
- A large star piping tip creates an attractive swirl with whipped ganache, but any preferred tip will work.
Recipe FAQs
Banoffee is a British dessert that pairs bananas and a toffee-like sauce, typically served with whipped cream and sometimes chocolate shavings.
Dulce de leche is a sweet, milky caramel sauce common in Latin America. It’s often made by simmering sweetened condensed milk until it thickens and deepens in color.
The cupcakes are filled and frosted, making them sweeter and lighter in texture compared with typical banana muffins, which are usually denser and unfrosted.
You’ll need about 1½ cups mashed bananas, roughly 3 medium-large bananas.
Storage
Room Temperature
Store assembled cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days.
Refrigerator
Keep chilled cupcakes in an airtight container for up to one week.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze fully cooled, unfilled and unfrosted cupcakes in a freezer-safe container for up to one month. Thaw to room temperature, then fill and frost before serving.
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Easy Banana Snack Cake with Frosting
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Chocolate Chip Banana Bundt Cake
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Swirled Banana Nutella Muffins
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Homemade Banana Cream Pie
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📖 Recipe
Banoffee Cupcakes
Equipment
- Cupcake pan with liners
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons and cups (or scale)
- Whisk and spatula
- Electric mixer (recommended for frosting)
- Piping bags and tip
Weigh dry ingredients in grams with a food scale for the best results.
Ingredients
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- 1½ cups (255 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1½ cups (355 ml) heavy whipping cream
Banana Cupcakes
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, browned
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1½ cups (350 g) mashed bananas (about 3 medium)
- 1½ cups (187 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (156 g) dulce de leche for filling
Instructions
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- Measure chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl.
- Heat the cream until simmering, pour over the chocolate, cover, and let sit 5 minutes.
- Stir from the center until smooth, then cool until thickened. While it cools, prepare the cupcakes.
- Whisk the cooled ganache until light and fluffy with stiff peaks, then transfer to a piping bag.
Banana Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake pan (makes 15–16 cupcakes).
- Bread the butter over medium-low heat until browned, then cool slightly.
- Mash and measure bananas. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Combine cooled brown butter with sugars, then add eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and bananas.
- Fold dry ingredients into the wet just until incorporated.
- Fill liners two-thirds full and bake 15–22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Assembling the Banoffee Cupcakes
- When cooled, cut out the centers about two-thirds down and reserve the tops.
- Pipe or spoon dulce de leche into each cavity and replace the cutout tops.
- Pipe the whipped ganache over each cupcake and serve.
Notes
Storage: Store assembled cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week. Unfilled and unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for 1 month; thaw, then fill and frost before serving.
Nutrition: Nutrition values are estimates per cupcake (based on 15 servings) and are provided for guidance only.
Carbohydrates: 40 g •
Protein: 4 g •
Fat: 23 g
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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