Healthy Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

In the mood for a sweet snack that's healthy but still delicious? Try these Healthy Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting! They're perfectly rich and make a great dessert or mid-day snack. Ready in under an hour.

A dessert that everyone will remember

Everyone loves banana bread, but what is the general consensus when it comes to banana cupcakes? If everyone in the world could try these, I'm pretty sure they'd get just as much of a good rep as their bready counterpart. And for good reason, too!

Healthy banana cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are absolutely mouthwatering. They're rich, moist, fluffy, and make a perfect dessert. They can even be enjoyed for breakfast!

I love to whip a batch of these cupcakes together to serve to my friends and family. The cream cheese frosting is always their favorite part, though the maple syrup-sweetened cake is still a hit!

Ingredients used in this banana cupcake recipe

For our banana cupcakes we'll be using a base blend of almond flour, bananas, eggs, and coconut oil. For the frosting, we'll create a delicious mixture of cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla.

Cupcakes:

• Almond flour
• Baking soda
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Bananas
• Eggs
• Coconut oil
• Maple syrup
• Vanilla

Frosting:

• Cream cheese
• Powdered sugar
• Butter
• Vanilla
• Cinnamon
• Salt

Tools for making the perfect banana cupcakes

To prepare this recipe, you'll need a handful of items. Gather the following, and let's get to baking!

• Muffin tin
• Muffin liners
• Nonstick spray
• 2 mixing bowls
• Mixing utensil

For measuring, you'll need these sizes: ¼ tsp, ½ tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, ¼ cup, ⅓ cup, ½ cup, and 1 cup.

How to make healthy banana cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

Healthy banana cupcakes are an easy treat to whip together. Start by mixing the ingredients to form the batter, and then get to work on perfecting the frosting! In total, this recipe should require about 1 hour, including baking and frosting chilling time.

First, we will make the banana muffin batter. Start by preheating the oven to 350F and lining a muffin tin with cupcake liners. I like to spray my liners with nonstick spray, just incase!

In a small bowl, mix the almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

Then, in a large bowl, mash the bananas. Whisk in two eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir until well combined. Then, using a cookie scoop, scoop the batter into the muffin tin and fill each one ⅔ of the way. Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until golden brown.

While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the cream cheese frosting. Blend the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt with a hand mixer until everything is creamy. Chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow it to set.

Once the cupcakes have cooled and the cupcake frosting has firmed, add it to the top of each cake for the perfect finishing touch.

These cupcakes should stay fresh and delicious for up to 3-4 days when stored in a sealed container and kept in the refrigerator.

My favorite healthy ingredients

As always, these cupcakes are made using healthier ingredients than other standard recipes. They're delicious and nutrient-rich, making them the perfect snack or breakfast pastry!

First, I use almond flour as the base of the batter to give these cupcakes a little extra kick in nutrients. It has more benefits than all purpose flour and is the better choice.

For the oil, I stay away from vegetable and canola, instead opting for coconut oil. Doing so allows these cupcakes to benefit cholesterol, blood sugar, and more.

Finally, I use maple syrup as an all-natural sweetener in these healthy cupcakes! It doesn't include any gnarly chemicals or preservatives like so many sugars do, which makes it a great, wholesome option.

Optional recipe substitutes

If you find yourself missing an ingredient or two, you can use these suggestions as replacements!

• Baking soda: Out of baking soda? You can actually use baking powder to replace it. You'll need 3x the amount of powder, which for this recipe will equate to 1.5 tsp.
• Eggs: You can try to use applesauce or chia seeds to replace the eggs in this banana muffin recipe. You will need ½ cup of applesauce, or 2 tablespoon of chia seeds. To use the seeds, mix with 6 tablespoon of water, and let sit until the chia seeds have fully absorbed the liquid. Once ready, add to your batter.
• Coconut oil: You can use any baking oil in place of coconut oil.
• Maple syrup: Maple syrup can be substituted with molasses or honey. You may need more or less depending on the brand used, so give it a little taste test as you go.
• Powdered sugar: Out of powdered sugar? That's okay! You can make powdered sugar from regular sugar by blending 1 cup of sugar with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch until it reaches a powdery consistency.

Customize your cupcakes with toppings

Customizable, build-your-own cupcake bar, anyone? Gather a bunch of toppings and present guests with the best make-your-own station ever! Here are some fun ideas that you can include.

Dried fruit: For an extra fruity flavor, use banana slices, dried mangoes, or even apples!

Drizzles: Give guests an extra sweet touch by including a caramel, chocolate, or almond butter drizzle.

Chips: Add chocolate, butterscotch, or even white chocolate chips!

Sprinkles: Lastly, make your cupcakes bright and colorful with rainbow sprinkles.

Try these sweet recipes next!

I know what you're thinking: The cream cheese frosting totally makes this recipe complete! Well, I couldn't agree more. That's one of the reasons I include it in so many of my baking recipes! Here are a few more ideas that feature a perfectly delicious cream cheese frosting.

• Healthy Cinnamon Rolls
• Healthy Gingerbread Loaf
• Gingerbread Cake
• Healthy Carrot Cake (Gluten Free)

Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by Quarter Soul Crisis