Last week, my parents rented a spacious house in Lake Tahoe with four bedrooms, a living room and loft, a wraparound porch, two-story-tall floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides, and an airy kitchen with a double oven. I nearly called the owners on the spot when I first opened the door to ask if I could housesit semi-permanently. Two ovens and all of that natural light? It was a baking blogger’s dream!
Wednesday afternoon, I shoved my PJs and hiking clothes into a small overnight duffel and hopped in my cart to twist and turn my way up those winding mountain roads to spend 24 hours with them. I eased into the driveway shortly before 6 pm, and with all of our stomachs growling, we backtracked three miles into Tahoe City to dine out at one of our favorite tiny restaurant chains: Jake’s on the Lake.
The hostess seated us a table out on the back patio, gazing out over the docks where the sailboats gently bobbed in the small waves while their siblings, tiny triangles way out in the distance, gracefully floated on the other side of the massive lake.
Knowing we mainly came for dessert, we ordered a side salad and two entrées—halibut and ahi—to split between the three of us. While we nibbled, we chatted and caught up, occasionally staring out over the water at the gloomy rainclouds gathering and bumping into each other, sending down long slivers of lightning, accompanied by loud bass drums of thunder, about 10-20 miles away.
When our server set down our highly anticipated sweet treat, a gigantic “Hula Pie” ice cream dessert (I created a smaller copycat recipe last summer!), we dug in with spoons and forks (required for that thick Oreo crust) with ice cream flying towards out mouths so quickly that it probably appeared as if we hadn’t eaten any in 10 years.
With fully satisfied stomachs, we paid the bill and drove home, settling back into the lounge chairs on the porch to watch the rosy pink sunset. As the stars started twinkling in the slowly darkening sky, another bolt of lightning flashed almost directly above our heads, immediately followed by a loud clap of thunder that rattled our eardrums, so we dashed inside just before the heavens opened and raindrops pelted the deck.
With Mom in an easy chair and Dad on the larger couch, I curled up on the love seat, staring out through the two-story-tall windows at the tiny beads of water slowly trickling down the glass. Although I generally dislike the rain, I gladly welcomed it in Tahoe. It forced me to slow down—something I don’t normally do with this full-time blogging job!—and I felt so cozy inside of the comfortable cabin.
Just like my Tahoe thunderstorm experience, these Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes are cozy and filled with familiar flavors. Pretty swirls of slightly nutty frosting sit atop the tender banana cakes—a fun rendition of Elvis’s favorite PB and banana sandwich! Despite their sweet taste, they’re still skinny and clean-eating. Yes, they contain NO butter, refined flour or refined sugar!
The banana cupcake batter comes together in a snap. Whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another; mix them together (remember to alternate additions for the most tender cupcakes!) then spoon the batter into lined muffins cups and bake. It’s that easy—no mixer required! The cupcake batter will be very thick, almost like muffin batter, but with two entire mashed bananas and Greek yogurt, they still turn out fabulously moist.
I used whole wheat pastry flour in these cupcakes. Compared to regular whole wheat flour, the pastry variety is ground a little finer and produces a lighter texture closer to all-purpose flour. I chose Bob’s Red Mill, one of my favorite brands. If you don’t own whole wheat pastry flour, you can substitute either regular whole wheat (to keep them “clean”) or all-purpose, but the regular whole wheat may turn out ever so slightly denser.
After biting into one fresh out of my oven (the official taste test!), I nearly squealed with joy and texted my guy. “I think these banana cupcakes are the best I’ve ever made.” So moist… So tender… So full of banana flavor. And without the frosting, they totally count as muffins! So I left a few unfrosted to nibble on for breakfast for a couple of days.
But since Greek yogurt is the base from the frosting, you could probably still count a frosted cupcake as breakfast food too! That’s right, the frosting is just Greek yogurt, peanut butter, Stevia (or your favorite sweetener), and a tiny bit of xanthan gum to stiffen it up and make it pipe-able. If you don’t have xanthan gum, you can skip it! Just spread the frosting across the tops instead.
With their classic flavor combination, these healthy Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes are an absolutely irresistible dessert. With their minimal prep and super easy frosting, they’re perfect for easy weeknight treats, laid-back weekend get-togethers, or even a special birthday dessert!
Other than the two I brought up to the cabin for my parents, I saved the rest for me—because who wouldn’t want healthy cupcakes for breakfast?
If you like this recipe, then be sure to follow my Healthy Baking board on Pinterest!
These are honestly some of the best cupcakes I’ve ever eaten—and I’ve had more than my fair share of sweet treats! The banana cake is so moist, and the peanut butter frosting adds the perfect subtle nutty touch. You can prepare the cupcakes up to two days in advance and the frosting up to three days early. Store the unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container on the counter and the frosting in an airtight container in the fridge. If possible, wait to assemble until just before serving for the best and freshest taste!
- To prepare the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350°F and line 12 standard-sized muffin cups with paper cupcake liners. Lightly spray twice with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, stir together the coconut oil, mashed banana, Stevia, and vanilla until well combined. Add in the Greek yogurt, stirring until no large lumps remain. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts and the milk in 2 equal parts.)
- Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups, and bake at 350°F for 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the tops feel fairly firm to the touch. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To prepare the frosting, beat the Greek yogurt, peanut butter, and Stevia together in a bowl. Gently stir in the xanthan gum (if using) with a fork, mixing just until it’s barely incorporated. Just before serving, spread or pipe on top of the cooled cupcakes.
Notes: Regular whole wheat flour may be substituted in place of the whole wheat flour, but the cupcakes will have a slightly denser feel and not quite as light of a crumb.
Unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, may be used in place of the coconut oil.
You may substitute your favorite solid-form sweetener (not a liquid!) in place of the Stevia. You’ll need the equivalent of about ½ cup of sugar in the cupcakes and about 6 tablespoons in the frosting. Just note that the Nutrition Information (see below) may change depending on your choice.
The xanthan gum stiffens up the frosting to give it a pipe-able consistency. You may omit it, but the frosting will be a little softer and will probably need to be spread on top of the cupcakes instead of piped.
Store any leftover frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I think these cupcakes look great!
I was just wondering….Could I use regular yogurt instead of greek yogurt?
Thank you! Yes, regular yogurt will work. I hope you enjoy the cupcakes!
Am I reading this correctly? It calls for a TBSP of vanilla extract?
Yes, that’s correct. I hope you like the cupcakes Christina!
Any time you want to rent that cabin, let me know. What a great get-away! And I’ll bet the hostess at Jake’s is our friend Christina. Long blonde hair, huge smile, and an Australian accent? Isn’t she adorable! I always love the way you write Amy, poetic, fun, and enticing, just like your baking !
No way — you know someone who works at Jake’s??? What a small world Jane!! We’ll have to go up there together sometime once all the snow melts. You know I don’t do cold! 😉 Thank you so much for your sweet words about my writing and baking Jane! That means the world to me!! ♥
Amy, do you have substitution for agave nectar instead of stevia? I’d love to make these for my birthday tomorrow!
Happy birthday!!! 🙂 In the cupcakes, you can use ½ cup of agave in place of both the stevia and milk. The batter should be really thick, but if it’s too dry, then add in 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until all of the flour is fully incorporated. I can’t wait to hear what you think of the cupcakes!
Can you substitute the coconut oil? My husband is allergic to coconut anything. I really want to try these cupcakes and so does he if you could help that would be greatly appreciated.
I already included one alternative in the Notes section underneath the Instructions, Cheyenne! I know the Notes section can be easy to miss. 🙂 You can also use vegetable oil, if you prefer. I can’t wait to hear what you and your husband think of the cupcakes!
I’m going to try this this weekend to make it for my son’s 4th birthday next month! Can I frost the cupcakes hours before the party? If I do, should I store them in the fridge or in the kitchen? Thanks!!
I’m so honored that you’d consider using one of my recipes to celebrate such a special occasion Elena! That means the world to me. 🙂 If you’ve frosted them 2+ hours before the party, then I’d recommend storing them in the refrigerator in an airtight container (if possible!). I use a cake carrying case similar to this for storing my cupcakes in the refrigerator! I can’t wait to hear what you think of them, and happy birthday to your son!!
Hi!
I wanted to make this for my daughter’s 1st Birthday! Would I need to double this recipe to make a two 8 inch layer cake?
Thanks!
Heather
I’m so honored that you’d want to make this recipe to celebrate such a special occasion Heather! That truly means a lot! 🙂 I haven’t tried turning this recipe into a layer cake instead of cupcakes, so I’m honestly not sure how that would turn out and don’t want to lead you astray. However, if you decide to try that, I think the recipe as written would yield 8″-round layers that are about ¾” tall, if that helps. I’d love to hear what you and your family think if you make these cupcakes — or if you turn them into a cake! And happy 1st birthday to your wonderful daughter!!
Could I substituted whole wheat flour for white all purpose flower and almond flour?
All-purpose flour would be the best substitute for the whole wheat flour! I typically don’t recommend almond flour. This is because gluten is the protein in wheat-based flours that helps baked goods rise and maintain their shape while cooling. Almond flour lacks that, so when you substitute it for wheat-based flours in my recipes that rise (like cupcakes, cakes, muffins, quick breads, etc!), your baked goods will often turn out denser and may collapse while cooling. Does that make sense? 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these cupcakes if you try making them, Shawna!
HEY! I AM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A GOOD BIRTHDAY CAKE OPTION BUT I CAN’T PULL UP YOUR BANANA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING. COULD YOU HELP? I THINK THE LINK IS DOWN.
I’m so honored that you’d consider making my recipe to celebrate such a special occasion, Erin! My team and I are looking into that issue right now. I’ll get back to you as soon as we figure out it! Thank you SO much for your patience!! 🙂