Healthy Small Batch Mini Banana Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting

Yields: 17 mini cupcakes

These banana cupcakes are supremely moist and tender with lots of naturally sweet flavor, and the creamy strawberry frosting is the perfect flavor pairing! The cupcakes are best if eaten the same day they’re frosted, but leftover cupcakes will keep for at least four days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator (if not longer!).

for the cupcakes
1 cup (120g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
⅛ tsp salt
1 tsp coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup (130g) mashed banana (about 1 large, see Notes!)
¾ tsp liquid stevia
1 tbsp (15g) granulated erythritol
¼ cup + 1 tbsp (75mL) unsweetened cashew milk
for the frosting
¾ cup (15g) freeze dried strawberries
1 ½ cups (360g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 ½ servings (12g) sugar-free, fat-free vanilla instant pudding mix (see Notes!)
1 tsp liquid stevia, or adjusted to taste

To prepare the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 17 mini muffin cups with paper liners, and coat the liners with 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, vanilla, and banana. Mix in the liquid stevia, erythritol, and 1 tablespoon of milk. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and the remaining milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.)
Divide the batter between the prepared paper liners. Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes or until the centers feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
To prepare the frosting, add the freeze dried strawberries to a blender or coffee grinder, and pulse until they’re a fine powder. Add the strawberry powder, Greek yogurt, instant pudding, and liquid stevia to a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Cover the top of the bowl with foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, pipe the frosting on top just before serving.

Notes: For the gluten-free flour, use the following blend: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (60g) brown rice flour, and ½ teapsoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) should work as well, if measured like this.

Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.

Remember to measure the flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much will dry out your batter and make it too thick, and your cupcakes will also turn out dry and crumbly.

For the best results, use bananas that are almost pure brown or black. Measure the mashed banana with measuring cups! Not all “large” bananas are the exact same size.

I highly recommend using the liquid stevia! It’s one of my favorite ingredients (you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine!), and I buy it online here because that’s the cheapest price I’ve found. If you prefer not to use stevia in the cupcakes, substitute 5 tablespoons (75mL) of agave, honey, or pure maple syrup for the liquid stevia. Omit the milk if using this substitution.

Coconut sugar, brown sugar, or granulated sugar may be substituted for the erythritol. (I buy my erythritol online here!)

Any milk may be substituted for the unsweetened cashew milk.

For the frosting, I’ve found that not all Greek yogurt brands are equally thick! This is my favorite one for my Greek yogurt frosting because it’s the thickest brand I’ve found, which means your frosting holds its shape so much better when piping it on top of the cupcakes!

This is the instant pudding mix that I used. You just need the dry instant pudding mix—don’t prepare it according to the package directions! You can omit it (for a clean eating option), but the frosting won’t be as thick, and you’ll probably need to spread it on the cupcakes instead of piping it. If you omit the instant pudding mix, then just mix the remaining frosting ingredients together until they’re fully incorporated—don’t beat them for a full 2 minutes!

I’ve found freeze dried strawberries at Target and Trader Joe’s! If you can’t find freeze dried strawberries, use this frosting recipe of mine instead (and substitute strawberries for the raspberries).

For the frosting, if you’re not a fan of stevia, then substitute the equivalent of 2-4 tablespoons of powdered sugar of your preferred granulated sweetener. (I like using 2-4 tablespoons of this confectioners’ style erythritol!) No maple syrup, honey, or agave—they make the frosting way too runny!

For a vegan option, use coconut oil in the cupcakes. Then use your preferred dairy-free yogurt in the frosting. The frosting will be more liquidy, so you’ll need to spread it on your cupcakes with a knife. It won’t hold its shape when piped.

{gluten-free, clean eating option, vegan option, low fat, lower sugar}

Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2019/04/24/healthy-small-batch-mini-banana-cupcakes-with-strawberry-frosting/