I don’t know why but we didn’t have a lot of banana cake/bread growing up. I don’t know if it is a relatively ‘new’ recipe (that is, more recent than the 1960’s and 1970’s) or we just didn’t leave bananas around long enough to go brown. We always had a lot of homemade biscuits and tarts growing up and if it was cake it was something like a date and walnut loaf.

Since I’ve had kids I’ve been making a lot of banana cake and to tell you the truth, I’m a little sick of them and I think the kids are too. That ‘old’ mushy banana flavour isn’t quite the same as a ripe, fresh banana and I think its hard to replicate in a cake. If I was going to have a piece of regular banana cake I think I would prefer it lightly toasted with a little butter. That was up until today.


I had some fresh cream in the fridge and when I do I always think I’m rich. It needs to be used up in a decadent way (even though its only less than $2 for 300ml but its full of fat and something I don’t really need a lot of). I had a piece (or two) of Banana Cream Pie when I was in the States years ago and it tastes nothing like banana cake but I thought I’d have a go at combining the two.

The cake was light and sponge-like and the cream, fresh banana and drizzle of caramel just topped it off. Not sure its anywhere near a Banana Cream Pie but it’s the next best thing. I’m not the first one to come up with the idea either. Seems like many others before me love that fresh cream and fresh banana taste in a cupcake too. This is just a simple banana cupcake with the addition of fresh whipped cream and a slice of banana with a drizzle of caramel, if desired (homemade or store bought).

Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes

  • 1 and half cups plain flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 overripe banana, mashed
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 6 tablespoons oil (I use canola)
  • 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
  • half teaspoon salt

Chantilly Cream:

  • 1 cup pouring cream
  • 1 tbs icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • fresh banana slices and caramel (melt equal quantities of brown sugar and butter and add a little cream or use bottled caramel sauce) to garnish
  1. Turn
    oven to 180 C (375 F).
  2. Prepare cupcake liners. (This recipe made 12 large Texas sized muffins.) 
  3. Put
    the flour, cinnamon, sugar, and water in a bowl.
  4. Add
    banana, vanilla, vinegar, oil, baking soda and salt. Mix with beaters until smooth.
    (Mixture is runny.)
  5. Pour
    into the cupcake papers.
  6. Bake
    40 minutes or until cooked through.
  7. When cool, whip cream with icing sugar and vanilla and pipe or spoon onto cupcakes.
  8. Decorate with banana slices and a drizzle of caramel to serve.