Simple Banana Pudding Cupcakes Recipe (with Cake Mix!)

Name: Banana Pudding Cupcakes with Cake Mix
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 1 box cake mix (plus ingredients called for on the box - in this eggs, oil and water as listed below.); 3 eggs; 1/2 cup oil; 1 cup water; 1 banana (mashed); 1 cup prepared banana cream pie pudding (3.4 oz box of mix or use store-bought flavored pudding cups); 8 oz container whipped topping; 30 Nilla Wafer cookies

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This easy Banana Pudding Cupcakes recipe is quick to make and perfect for girl’s night or any family gathering. If you’re like me and always on the lookout for a shortcut, this recipe is for you. Turn a boxed mix into moist banana cupcakes filled with vanilla pudding and topped simply with whipped cream frosting. Yum!

A Banana Pudding cupcake in front of a cooling rack holding more cupcakes. — Let’s make this banana pudding cupcakes recipe.

Delicious banana cupcakes with a shortcut

You’re going to love these banana pudding cupcakes! Especially if you love that classic banana pudding dessert.

They’re really easy, but because they’re filled with banana pudding, and topped with whipped topping and traditional Nilla wafer cookies, they look more difficult than they really are!

I crave the classic banana pudding pie recipe and the way the creamy pudding, bananas and cookies work together to make dessert magic. And so I wanted to try it in cupcake form.

Related post: The Best Birthday Sprinkle Cupcakes

But you know I prefer recipes that just look difficult. That’s where cupcakes with cake mix come in handy.

They’re so quick to make, you’ll have plenty of time left for all your other mom duties (or Netflix binges). Whip up a batch of these banana cupcakes for your next girls’ night, family gathering, or just because it’s Tuesday.

Ingredients

1 box cake mix, and ingredients called for on the box (in this case eggs, oil and water)
Banana
Banana cream pie pudding
Whipped topping
Nilla Wafer cookies

I used yellow cake mix, but feel free to experiment with other flavors. White cake mix would also work.

The fresh banana adds moisture and flavor to the cupcakes.

Banana cream pie pudding is tasty, but if you have a favorite banana pudding feel free to use that!

You can use the mini wafer cookies if you want, those would be super cute too.

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

Step 2

Mixing a yellow cake batter in a large glass bowl with a handmixer.

Add the cake mix and ingredients called for on the back of the box (eggs, water and oil) to a large bowl and hand mixer or stand mixer and beat on high for 2 minutes.

Step 3

A mashed banana in a small white ramekin.

Mash the banana with a fork.

Step 4

Adding the mashed banana to the cake batter.

Add the banana to the cake batter, and beat for 15 seconds.

Step 5

Cupcake batter in cupcake liners in a muffin tin.

Add the batter to the cupcake tin. FIll each wrapper about half full. Gently tap the pan on the counter to level the batter out.

Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Step 6

Transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 1 hour.

Step 7

While your cupcakes cool, make the banana pudding.

Step 8: Fill the cupcakes

Creating a well in the cupcake with a frosting tip.

Use the 1A frosting tip to carve out a hole in the center of each cupcake. Then wash the tip for the next step.

*Feel free to eat all those little cupcake pieces you popped out. You won’t need them anymore.

Step 9

Add the frosting tip and pudding to a piping bag, and pipe pudding into each hole that you carved out of the cupcakes.

*If you don’t have a piping bag you can easily do this with a plastic zipper bag that you cut the corner off of!

Step 10

Frost the cupcakes with the whipped topping.

Step 11

Add 5 Nilla wafers to a baggie and crush them into crumbs.

Step 12

Top the banana pudding cupcakes with the remaining 24 wafers. Then sprinkle some of the crumbs over the frosting.

Yes, this looks like a lot of steps but they are really simple and really won’t take you that long! I promise!

Storage

If you can help it, only frost the cupcakes that you need since these banana cupcakes store best when unfrosted.

I recommend storing these banana pudding cupcakes in the refrigerator, in an air-tight container, especially if you have frosted them.

How to make them your own

Use this recipe as a base then get creative!

Add a slice of banana to the top of each cupcake. Better yet, caramelize that banana! YUM!
Place a vanilla wafer in the very bottom of the cupcake liner. I have not tried this, it may get soggy.
Use vanilla pudding instead of banana.

Tools

You will need the following items to make this recipe:

Large bowl and mixer, or stand mixer
Small bowl or plate and fork (to mash banana)
Cupcake pan
Cupcake liners
Wire cooling rack
1A frosting tip and piping bag

Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance can I make these cupcakes?

To make the cupcake itself, I would recommend no more than two days ahead. Do not poke the hole, fill or frost them. When you plan to serve them, add the filling, frosting and toppings.

Is it ok to use a brown banana in banana pudding cupcakes?

Eating Well says yes! As long as they aren’t moldy or a slimy, gushy mess, you can use them. You’re going to mash them up anyway so even if they are a little bit softer than you would like, it really doesn’t matter.

Can I use another frosting?

Yes, while I think whipped topping keeps them similar to my favorite banana dessert, you could use a different topping. I LOVE my vanilla buttercream recipe but my Cool Whip Frosting would also be yummy.

A batch of banana pudding cupcakes on a white counter top.

I LOVE this recipe for banana pudding cupcakes! They are fancy enough to serve when entertaining, but since they’re so simple I can make a batch for my kids to enjoy. Or for myself, because YUM!

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