Banana Cupcakes with Nutella Whipped Cream Frosting

Have ripe bananas you don’t want to eat as-is? Baking is a perfect way to use them. These Nutella-filled banana cupcakes turned out soft, moist and bursting with chocolate-hazelnut goodness. Bananas pair beautifully with Nutella, and when combined in a light whipped cream frosting the result is irresistible.

The cupcake batter is simple: all-purpose flour, sugar, oil, ripe bananas, baking powder, salt and milk. For best flavor and moisture use very ripe bananas—those with lots of brown spots work great. You can use brown sugar or a mix of brown and granulated sugar; in this version I used only granulated sugar because the bananas were already very sweet and moist.

To keep the finished cupcakes from becoming overly rich, the frosting is a lighter Nutella whipped cream rather than a butter-based buttercream. The whipped cream gives a delicate texture that complements the dense, banana-scented cupcakes and the Nutella filling.

Method

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-14 cup muffin tin with liners.

In a bowl, sift together 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1.25 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, beat 1/4 cup canola oil and 1 egg on medium-high speed for 3–4 minutes until the mixture is creamy and slightly increased in volume. Add 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and beat for another 2–3 minutes until incorporated.

Add 2 large very ripe mashed bananas and 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract, mixing until combined.

Alternate adding the dry ingredients and 1/4 cup milk in parts, starting and ending with the flour. (Add flour in three parts and milk in two.) Mix until combined but avoid overmixing—the batter should be smooth and slightly thick.

Fill the cupcake liners about halfway with batter. Bake at 350°F for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. My cupcakes were done in 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Filling the cupcakes

Fit a piping bag with a Wilton 230 tip and fill the bag with Nutella. Insert the tip into the center of each cooled cupcake, push down more than halfway, and pipe Nutella into the center as you withdraw the tip. Repeat for all cupcakes.

If you don’t have a piping tip you can use a small paring knife: cut a small cone-shaped piece from the center of each cupcake, spoon Nutella into the cavity and replace the top piece before frosting.

Frosting the cupcakes

Chill the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes before whipping the cream—this helps the cream reach stiff peaks more easily.

Pour 1 cup heavy cream into the chilled bowl and beat on high speed until it begins to thicken (about 2–3 minutes). Add 2–3 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 tablespoons Nutella. Continue beating on high until the cream forms stiff peaks—this usually takes 6–7 minutes total. Stop as soon as the peaks hold shape to avoid overwhipping and separation.

Pipe or dollop the Nutella whipped cream on the cooled, filled cupcakes. Decorate with rainbow sprinkles or other preferred toppings. I used tip 1M to create swirls on top.

Notes:

• The cupcakes can be frozen without the frosting. Once cooled, place them in a zip-top bag and freeze. Thaw before filling and frosting.
• If you prefer a sweeter frosting, increase powdered sugar by a tablespoon; for a lighter taste, reduce Nutella slightly.

Banana Cupcakes with Nutella Whipped Cream Frosting