Light and airy Banana Buttercream Frosting is made with only 5 ingredients in less than 10 minutes. For a delicious, fresh flavor, this simple frosting uses basic ingredients, including mashed ripe bananas. You’ll want to top your favorite cookies, cupcakes, cakes, and brownies with this homemade frosting (especially your best-loved chocolate desserts!).
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Love bananas as much as we do? Then you’ll love this fluffy banana buttercream frosting. It adds the perfect fresh flavor to your favorite cakes and cupcakes. Plus, it’s ideal for using those last couple of overripe bananas.
We’re all about quick and easy recipes! And you don’t need much time to whip up this banana buttercream. You can use it to top banana baked donuts, banana bread, or banana cookies for a special banana treat. Or, my favorite, spread it over decadent chocolate brownies for a delicious pairing.
Let's get started!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Made with fresh bananas. No special ingredients are needed here! Just 5 simple ingredients, including fresh mashed bananas, which add a delicious, natural flavor to the buttercream.
- Quick and easy. You need less than 10 minutes to make this simple frosting. You can even prep it ahead of time and freeze it for future use!
- Pairs well with a variety of desserts. You can fill cookies, layer cakes, top brownies, and more. Banana frosting especially pairs well with chocolate desserts (like these chocolate cupcakes!).
Ingredients You'll Need
- Butter. Adds a delicious flavor to the frosting. Stick with unsalted butter to control the amount of salt. Allow your butter to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. It should be malleable without being greasy or melted.
- Banana. Fresh bananas add the best flavor. You’ll want to use very ripe bananas for easy mashing, plus they’ll add a sweet banana flavor.
- Lemon juice. You only need 1 teaspoon of fresh-squeezed lemon juice to prevent the bananas from turning brown. It’ll also balance the sweetness of the ripe bananas and sugar.
- Powdered sugar. Sweetens the frosting and creates a smooth and creamy consistency. Sift your sugar to remove any lumps.
- Vanilla. Always use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Fresh Banana Substitution
We love the flavor that fresh bananas add to buttercream (and cream cheese frosting). However, if you prefer to use banana extract, you can certainly do so. Replace the mashed banana with 1 teaspoon of banana extract. Additionally, you’ll need 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream and any milk to thin out the frosting to your desired consistency.
Helpful Tools For Making Easy Buttercream Frosting
- Digital kitchen scale or measuring cups. Using a scale will give you the most accurate measurements.
- Measuring spoons.
- Mixer. A handheld or stand mixer will work.
- Small bowl. For mashing the bananas.
- Large bowl. A stand mixer bowl or large mixing bowl will work.
- Rubber spatula.
Buttercream in 3 Simple Steps
Beat the butter. Beat until smooth and creamy.
Add banana and lemon juice. Mix until mostly combined (some chunks of bananas are ok!).
Add sugar and vanilla. Mix the powdered sugar and vanilla with the banana mixture and beat for several minutes until light and fluffy.
How Much Frosting Will This Recipe Make?
This recipe yields 2.5-3 cups of frosting, which is enough to cover 18-24 cupcakes, a 9x13-inch cake, or a two-layer 8-inch or 9-inch cake.
Note: Why the range of frosting? The longer the buttercream whips, the more air is incorporated, resulting in a greater volume. However, if you over whip the frosting, there will be lots of air pockets, and you won’t have a super smooth buttercream.
Tips for Making the Best Buttercream
As a trained pastry chef, I love sharing tips to make your baking successful every time! Follow these four tips when making any buttercream frosting:
- Sift the powdered sugar. If your powdered sugar is lumpy, sift it before adding it to the butter to have a smooth and creamy buttercream consistency.
- Use the paddle attachment. The paddle attachment incorporates less air into the frosting than the whisk attachment (otherwise, you will have too many air bubbles!).
- Slowly mix in sugar. Once you add the sugar to the butter, turn the mixer to low speed to prevent the sugar from flying out of the bowl. I cover the mixer with a kitchen towel until the sugar is combined with the butter.
- Mix on low speed. If there are too many air bubbles in your frosting, mix the buttercream on low to eliminate the large air pockets.
What to Serve Banana Buttercream With
There are so many recipes that pair well with banana frosting. Here are some of our favorites:
- Decadent brownies. Fudgy Nutella brownies are one of my favorite combinations with banana buttercream. You can’t go wrong with a chocolate banana combo!
- Layered cake for any occasion. Top your favorite chocolate cake or a classic vanilla layered cake with this buttercream for a birthday celebration or an everyday treat!
- Sandwiched cookies. Banana buttercream is delicious spread over cookies or sandwiched together with chewy funfetti cookies.
Storage & Freezing Tips
Buttercream frosting is easy to make and great for prepping ahead. Here are all the ways you can store your banana buttercream:
- At room temperature. Store the buttercream in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If it’s a hot day, transfer to the fridge to prevent your buttercream from melting.
- Refrigerator. Store buttercream in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature and re-mix with the paddle attachment before using.
- Freezer. Want to prep ahead? Store the frosting in a resealable freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature and re-whip before using.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this is pipeable. Depending on how much you mash the bananas, you might have some small chunks in the frosting and will need to cut a slightly larger hole in your disposable pastry bag for piping or use a large round pastry tip to ensure the buttercream easily flows.
Still too thick? Add more mashed bananas, starting with 1 tablespoon at a time, to the buttercream until you have your desired consistency.
If your frosting is too thin, mix in additional sifted powdered sugar until desired consistency. Just note that the more you mix in, the sweeter the mixture will become.
More Frosting Recipes You'll Love
I hope you love this Banana Buttercream Frosting as much as we do and that it becomes a family favorite! Please leave a comment below, I love reading your feedback! And if you’d like to make this recipe later, don’t forget to pin it on Pinterest! Happy Baking!
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Banana Buttercream Frosting
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
Description
Light and airy Banana Buttercream Frosting is made with only 5 ingredients in less than 10 minutes. For a delicious, fresh flavor, this simple frosting uses basic ingredients, including mashed ripe bananas. You'll want to top your favorite cookies, cupcakes, cakes, and brownies with this homemade frosting (especially your best-loved chocolate desserts!).
Ingredients
- 220 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 125 g (½ cup) mashed ripe banana
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 450 g (1 pound) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the butter until smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes.
- Add the banana and lemon juice and continue mixing for 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix until mostly incorporated (it's ok if the mixture has some small chunks of bananas).
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until completely incorporated. Add the vanilla and increase to medium speed and beat for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
Notes
Storage: Store the buttercream in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Re-mix with the paddle attachment before using.
Freeze: Store in a resealable freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature and re-whip before using.
Yield: This buttercream covers 18-24 cupcakes, a 9x13-inch cake, or a two-layer 8-inch or 9-inch cake.
- Prep Time: 8
- Category: Frosting & Fillings
Evelyn says
Used this with a chocolate cake and it was delicious. Love that it uses fresh bananas!
Maria Pagiotas says
Hi Evelyn! Such a delicious combo! Thank you for sharing!
Casey says
I wanted something for a Banana cake so I decided to go with this recipe and let me tell you it's a must try. It's so yummy and delicious 😋
Maria Pagiotas says
Hi Casey! I'm happy you enjoyed this frosting with your banana cake! My favorite combo! 🙂