Hummingbird Cupcakes
Hummingbird cupcakes, with their warm spices and tropical fruit flavors, are irresistible. They're topped with creamy frosting and sprinkled with crunchy pecans.
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Equipment
- Muffin Tin 12-Cup
- Pastry Bag with Star Tip
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ Cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ⅔ Cup granulated sugar
- 1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ Teaspoon salt
- ¼ Teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 egg large, at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 banana large
- ¼ Cup crushed pineapple undrained
- ½ Cup pecans finely chopped, plus extra for garnish
For the Frosting:
- 8 Ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 5 Tablespoons butter at room temperature
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 Cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a small or medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg until combined.
- Peel the banana and tear it into small, about 1 inch, size chunks.
- Add them to a separate large mixing bowl along with the crushed pineapple and oil.
- Use an electric mixer to mash everything together until the banana is very smooth.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until well blended. Do not overmix the egg.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. A few small lumps are fine – don’t overmix.
- Fold in the chopped pecans.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about ⅔ full.
- Bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a middle cupcake comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting:
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating at a low speed until it’s all mixed in.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and creamy.
Assemble the Cupcakes:
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
- Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto each cupcake, starting from the outer edge and working toward the center.
- Sprinkle the additional chopped pecans over the frosted cupcakes for garnish.
Notes
Cookie scoop: I like to use a cookie scoop to fill the cupcake liners for a cleaner experience.
Room temperature ingredients: Ensuring all the ingredients for the cupcakes are at room temperature means that the cupcakes will have a better rise when they bake.
Don't overmix: It’s best not to overmix the cupcake batter once the dry ingredients and wet ingredients are combined. It can affect how much the cupcakes rise, and how dense the cupcakes come out.
Check for doneness: When a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean, the cupcakes are done.
Serving temperature: Bring the cupcakes to room temperature for the best texture and flavor.
Room temperature ingredients: Ensuring all the ingredients for the cupcakes are at room temperature means that the cupcakes will have a better rise when they bake.
Don't overmix: It’s best not to overmix the cupcake batter once the dry ingredients and wet ingredients are combined. It can affect how much the cupcakes rise, and how dense the cupcakes come out.
Check for doneness: When a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean, the cupcakes are done.
Serving temperature: Bring the cupcakes to room temperature for the best texture and flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 296IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg
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