These banana pudding cupcakes start with a sweet and fluffy vanilla cake base. They are stuffed with a creamy mascarpone banana pudding filled with fresh chopped bananas. The proverbial icing on the cake is a light mascarpone whipped cream that tops these delicious, fresh cupcakes!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer or in a large bowl and a hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar for about 3-4 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy on medium/medium high speed.
Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.
In a small bowl or pourable measuring cup, whisk together sour cream and milk.
Starting with the dry ingredients, add about ⅓ to the butter mixture and beat until combined.
Add half of the milk/sour cream mixture and mix well. Continue alternating dry and wet ingredients, ending with the dry ingredients.
Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake tin. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way.
Banana Pudding Filling
In a bowl, combine the milk and instant pudding and mix well. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, combine the sweetened condensed milk and mascarpone and beat until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whip heavy whipping cream to soft peaks and then fold into the mascarpone mixture. Combine the mascarpone mixture with the vanilla pudding and mix until smooth.
Fold in the chopped bananas. Refrigerate until you are ready to fill the cupcakes.
Mascarpone Frosting
Using a stand mixer or a medium bowl and a hand mixer, whip the mascarpone cheese and powdered sugar until creamy.
Add the heavy cream and vanilla and continue to whip on medium to medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
Assembling the Cupcakes
Use a sharp paring knife or cupcake corer to create a hole in the middle of the cupcake (see pictures in post). Discard the cake that was cut out (or eat it!).
Using a spoon or small cookie scoop, scoop about 2 teaspoons of banana pudding into each cupcake.
Frost the cupcakes using a knife or pipe the frosting using a bag and pastry tip. Top with a banana slice or a vanilla wafer if desired. Refrigerate the cupcakes until ready to serve.
Notes
Cupcakes are best served cold from the refrigerator.
Keep assembled cupcakes covered tightly in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
You'll have extra banana pudding mixture after filling the cupcakes. I suggest layering it with vanilla wafers, shortbread cookies or golden oreos in mason jars for 2 desserts in one!