Allergy friendly. cupcake happy!

Banana Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream [Dairy-free, Egg-Free, Nut-free, Soy-Free]

Banana cake with Vanilla Bean Buttercream.
Banana cake with Vanilla Bean Buttercream for a Sweet 16!

I know this is Cupcake Love, but I haven’t posted a cupcake recipe for a really long time! My apologies. As far as my baking habits go lately, I had been on a muffin and brownie kick for a while…perhaps because I have been busy being Working Mom. Making cakes and fancy frostings with sprinkles may have been a bit more than I could handle. Sometimes you just have to slow down, even if it means cutting back a little on the things you love to do.

Yes, it has been a while since I’ve made cupcakes, but I really wanted to post a cupcake recipe this time around. This one is a recipe I made earlier this year for my niece Mallory’s 16th birthday (adapted from Chloe Coscarelli’s Banana Chocolate Chip Cake recipe). I wanted them to look simple, yet elegant and decadent. I think using the vanilla bean paste rather than the traditional vanilla adds a nice indulgent dimension. I love those little black specks! Whip these up for your next special occasion.

Banana Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream [Dairy-free, Egg-Free, Nut-free, Soy-Free]
Adapted from chefchloe.com

1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup mashed bananas (approximately 2 very ripe bananas, mashed on a plate using the back of a fork)
1 cup canned coconut milk, mixed well before measuring
½ cup canola oil
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Procedure

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Line two cupcake pans with liners sprayed with allergen-free cooking spray.
  2. Whisk together sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices and flour into a bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together bananas, coconut milk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.
  4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Distribute batter into lined cupcake baking pan, and bake for 15-20 minutes.
  6. Cool in pans 10 minutes before transferring to rack to cool completely.
  7. Frost with Vanilla Bean Buttercream.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup allergen-free margarine (recommended: Earth Balance Soy-Free Non-Hydrogenated Buttery Spread)
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
1/4 cup water

Procedure

  1. Combine the confectioners’ sugar, margarine, and vanilla bean paste in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until combined.
  2. With the mixer running, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, until the desired buttercream consistency.

3 responses to “Banana Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream [Dairy-free, Egg-Free, Nut-free, Soy-Free]”

  1. Tracy Avatar
    Tracy

    Sheila, these look scrumptious! Can you tell me where you get your vanilla bean paste, and do you recommend any particular brands? And also, where do you find the Earth Balance spread? Thank you!

    Reply
    1. Sheila Ray Avatar
      Sheila Ray

      Vanilla bean paste by Neilsen Massey is available at Williams Sonoma and other gourmet food stores or spice shops. I’ve occasionally found it at Home Goods or TJ Maxx. If you can’t source the paste, you can substitute the seeds from one whole vanilla bean, or just use a Tablespoon of good vanilla extract. Earth Balance is available at Whole Foods, Fruitful Yield, and surprisingly, Wal-Mart (where it is also the least expensive!). I buy the soy-free Earth Balance in the red package. Happy baking!

      Reply
  2. Teresa Avatar
    Teresa

    I made this recipe and it is wonderful. The instructions don’t say how many cupcakes it makes and my pans make 6 each. I had too much batter for 2 pans and got 18 cupcakes. Will definitely use this recipe again.

    Reply

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