Easy Banana Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe
These easy Banana Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting are a fun little twist on regular fudgy brownies. Made with a store-bought brownie mix and a big slice of overripe bananas hidden in every brownie center. Topped off with a simple but decadent dollop of peanut butter frosting.
Oh, people! These 2-bite banana brownies are amazing and just what you’re taste buds are craving!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE BANANA BROWNIES WITH PEANUT
This banana brownie recipe only has 5 simple ingredients. The delicious peanut butter frosting recipe only has 4 easy ingredients.
This recipe is a great way to use up ripe bananas that would otherwise sit on the counter and turn brown.
A quick and easy boxed brownie mix is used instead of having to measure out all the separate dry ingredients.
The best part about this recipe is that they are made in a cupcake pan for individual portions. No sneaking in a second or third pan nibbles from anonymous sources. 😉
BUTTER FROSTING
Chocolate Brownie Cupcake Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients: store-bought boxed brownie mix and cinnamon.
- Bananas: you will need 3 or 4
- Wet Ingredients: vegetable oil and eggs
- Spray oil
- cupcake liners: mini or regular
- muffin pan: mini or regular-size
- caramel syrup or maple syrup: optional
Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting Ingredients
- peanut butter: natural peanut butter or traditional smooth peanut butter, your choice
- butter: real butter, salted or unsalted, at room temperature
- confectioner’s sugar
- vanilla extract
HOW TO MAKE EASY BANANA BROWNIES
- STEP ONE – Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix boxed brownie mix, oil, beaten eggs, and cinnamon with a rubber spatula. Mix until just incorporated. Note: Be careful not to overmix, a few small lumps are good.
- STEP TWO – Insert cupcake liners in a cupcake pan and spray with spray oil like Baker’s Joy.
- STEP THREE – Fill oiled cupcake liners with about 3/4 cup brownie mix. This recipe should make about 16 brownie banana bites.
- STEP FOUR – Cut fresh bananas into about 1″ slices. Insert into the middle of brownie filled cupcakes.
- STEP FIVE – Top with about 1 tsp of caramel syrup or maple syrup (enough to cover the top of the banana slice).
- STEP SIX – Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes.
This recipe should make about 16 Banana Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting.
PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING INSTRUCTIONS
- STEP ONE – With a handheld mixer in a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter and peanut butter together.
- STEP TWO – Add one cup of powdered sugar and blend with the butter and peanut butter mixture.
- STEP THREE – Add vanilla extract and the remaining cup of powdered sugar, and blend until smooth and creamy. Note: To make the icing stiffer add more powdered sugar.
- STEP FOUR – Scoop frosting into a piping bag and gently squeeze to fill the bottom for easy decorating. If you don’t have a piping bag, use a plastic freezer or storage baggie. Fill the baggie halfway with icing, squeeze into the bottom corner, and cut the end of the filled corner. Pipe on top of each cooled cupcake.
RECIPE TIPS
- Any kind of boxed brownie mix: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or chocolate fudge. Whatever you prefer.
- Use an icing decorator tip and a piping bag if you have one but it’s not necessary.
- Spray the cupcake liners with spray oil for easy eating.
- If you don’t have ripe bananas on hand, substitute with a ripe strawberry or a few blueberries in the center of each brownie cupcake. You could use a different fruit in each individual cupcake and have a surprise cupcake experience.
More Flavor Options.
- Go with a cherry and chocolate theme. One Marchiano cherry inside and cherry icing!
- Make it all chocolate! Use a candy kiss instead of a banana and top with chocolate icing.
- Black and white brownie bite would be so delish! A white chocolate candy kiss and yummy cream cheese vanilla frosting, yum, yum!
- Instead of peanut butter icing switch it up with a banana frosting!
- Add chocolate chips to the brownie mixture and make them really chocolatey.
- Put mini peanut butter cups on top of each individual cupcake.
HOW TO STORE THESE BANANA BROWNIE BITES
Store these cupcakes in an airtight container.
You won’t need to store these because will disappear fast. But just in case store in the fridge so the icing won’t get too soft and separate.
MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
Chocolate Chunk Cherry Cookie Bars, they’re super easy and loved by everyone!
Crazy Good Lemon Bars, the shortbread crust is amazing!
Key Lime Graham Cracker White Chocolate Chip Cookies are so delicious and hit that sweet, light, and happy craving.
HELPFUL KITCHEN GADGETS
Banana Brownie Bites with Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients
- any boxed brownie mix
- 3 or 4 fresh ripe bananas 3 large, 4 medium
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil use the amount the box instructions suggests
- 3 eggs
- 1.5 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp caramel sauce one tsp for each cupcake
- cupcake liners
- spray oil
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 6 tbsp real butter 3/4 stick
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- STEP ONE – Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix boxed brownie mix, oil, beaten eggs, and cinnamon with a rubber spatula. Mix until just incorporated. Note: Be careful not to overmix, a few small lumps are good.
- STEP TWO – Insert cupcake liners in a cupcake pan and spray with spray oil like Pam.
- STEP THREE – Fill oiled cupcake liners with about 1/4 cup brownie mix. This recipe should make about 16 brownie banana bites.
- STEP FOUR – Cut fresh bananas into about 1" slices. Insert into the middle of brownie filled cupcakes.
- STEP FIVE – Top with about 1 tsp of caramel syrup (enough to cover the top of the banana slice)
- STEP SIX – Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes.
Peanut Butter Frosting
- STEP ONE – With a handheld mixer, cream softened butter, and peanut butter together.
- STEP TWO – Add one cup of powdered sugar and blend with butter and peanut butter mix.
- STEP THREE – Add vanilla and the remaining cup of powdered sugar, blend until smooth and creamy. Note: To make the icing more stiff add more powdered sugar
- STEP FOUR – Scoop frosting into a plastic baggie and gently squeeze into one corner. Cut the end of the filled corner and pipe in the center of the cupcake on top of the cooked banana slice. Frost the whole cupcake if desired. Place into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving. ENJOY!!! Note: This frosting makes enough to frost 16 whole cupcake tops. You will have some leftover if you just frost with a big dollop like we have.