Vegan Banana Bread Cupcakes + SunButter Frosting

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Vegan Banana Bread Cupcakes + SunButter Frosting

These Vegan Banana Bread Cupcakes + SunButter Frosting are the ultimate definition of something perfectly sweet and nutty. These cupcake are a great balance between tender and fluffy, and 100% delicious! Made with a nicely whipped SunButter buttercream/frosting that comes nestled generously on top of each deeply flavored banana cupcake. All Vegan + Gluten-Free option available.

Prep Time10

Cook Time18

Total Time28

Course: Dessert

Keyword: allergy-free, baked, banana, banana bread, cakes, cupcakes, dairy-free, dessert, easy, fall recipe, gluten-free, healthy, homemade, indulge, nut-free, plant-based, recipe, sunbutter, sunflower seeds, sweet, vegan

Servings: Cupcakes

Calories: 194kcal

Author: Shanika

Ingredients

CUPCAKES:

2 Medium Ripe Bananas, mashed
1 cup Organic All-Purpose Flour (I use Bob's Red Mill; See Notes for GF option!)
½ cup Organic Cake Flour (I use Bob's Red Mill; See Notes for GF option!)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ cup pure maple syrup
½ cup Almond milk (I use Califia Farms; You can use your fave Plant-based Milk)
1 teaspoon Apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsps vegetable oil (See Notes!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

SUNBUTTER FROSTING:

¼ cup vegan butter spread, room temp. (I use Earth's Balance)
¼ cup organic vegetable shortening, room temp. (I use Spectrum)
1 tablespoon Natural SunButter (See Notes!)
3-4 cups organic powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Almond milk (You can use your fave plant-based milk)
pinch of sea salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and prep your cupcake pan with liners + spray.
In a medium bowl, add the Almond Milk and Apple Cider Vinegar, mixing until well combined and let it sit for 10 minutes.
In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
Once the milk-vinegar mixture has sat for the allotted time, add in the mashed bananas, oil, vanilla, and maple syrup, whisking together until well combined.
Add the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients, mix together well using a rubber spatula. **NOTE: Do Not Over-mix!**
Divide the batter evenly into each cupcake cavity and bake for 15-18minutes or until the centers are fully cooked through once tested with a toothpick.
Remove from the oven and let cool before icing them.

FOR SUNBUTTER FROSTING:

In the bowl of an electric mixer (attached with a paddle), beat the butter and shortening on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add in SunButter and continue beating on high, about 1-2 minutes.
Turning the mixer on low, add the powered sugar (½ the amount), vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of Almond milk, mixing them together until well combined.
Add the remaining powered sugar and mix until well combined. **NOTE: If the frosting is too thick, add additional milk (1 teaspoon at a time); if it’s too thin, add additional powered sugar (1 tablespoon at a time). Lastly, add a pinch of sea salt to balance sweetness and Wallah!
Once cupcakes are fully cooled, add buttercream to a piping bag and pipe a generous amount to your cupcakes, until all cupcakes are iced.
Bon Appetite!

Notes

GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: To make these cupcakes GF, I recommend using a GF Flour Blend (Bob’s Red Mills has a great version!). **NOTE: If the cupcake mixture is too ‘thin + runny’, simply add additional GF flour, ¼ cup at a time.**

OIL: Instead of vegetable oil, you can also use Coconut oil, if preferred.

SWEETENER: If you choose to opt out of pure maple syrup, you can always substitute with Agave as well.

SUNBUTTER: I definitely recommend purchasing a jar or two on their website or a major retailer like Amazon. Don’t worry–you can always see Where To Buy SunButter.

STORAGE: Best kept if stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days (unfrosted) and 3-4 days when frosted. Also, can be frozen for up to 6 months when unfrosted and thawed.

Nutrition