These simple vegan banana spice cupcakes are topped with an irresistibly simple chocolate ganache frosting! They’re easy to make and kids go wild for them, making them perfect for birthday parties.
It’s Friday! What better day to share these vegan banana spice cupcakes with chocolate ganache?
These cupcakes are based on my Vegan Banana Spice Cake recipe, but instead of the vegan cashew buttercream frosting, I opted for a simple 2-ingredient chocolate ganache. They’re quick and easy to throw together–I think they’d be the perfect treat to make with kids this weekend!
What’s more, they’re made with healthier ingredients such as coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, light spelt flour, and oats, and the ganache is a simple mix of dark chocolate and coconut milk. I’d reckon that these cupcakes are healthier than store-bought/coffee shop muffins.
In short, these are cupcakes you can feel good about baking and eating! I know I do.
how to make vegan banana spice cupcakes with chocolate ganache:
To make these vegan banana spice cupcakes, you’ll start by whisking up some flax eggs. Combine ground flax and water in a large mixing bowl and set aside to ‘gel.’
To the bowl, add melted coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, mashed bananas, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
In a smaller bowl, whisk together light spelt flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and rolled oats.
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Divide the batter between 12 greased or paper-lined muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean.
For the ganache, place the coconut milk and dark chocolate in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat until the chocolate melts, whisking often. Add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of vanilla extract if desired. Transfer into a bowl and refrigerate for 4-6 hours, or until it has thickened enough to use as a frosting. You can use an electric mixer if you want the frosting to have a fluffier consistency, but I didn’t find that to be necessary.
Frost the cupcakes and enjoy immediately! Store leftover cupcakes in the fridge so that the frosting doesn’t lose its texture.
If you make these vegan banana spice cupcakes with chocolate ganache, let me know! Leave a comment and rating below, and don’t forget to tag a photo @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen on Instagram!
Enjoy!
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Vegan Banana Spice Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Delicious vegan banana spice cupcakes with chocolate ganache frosting- perfect for parties, but just as great as an everyday dessert!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp ground flax + 5 tbsp water (2 flax eggs)
- ½ cup virgin coconut oil, melted, OR organic sunflower oil
- ⅔ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ cups mashed over-ripe banana (from 4 medium bananas)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole spelt flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp cloves
- 1 cup rolled oats (optional)
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk
- 5 oz (140 grams) chopped dark chocolate (55 percent or higher)
- Pinch of fine sea salt (optional)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, lightly grease the cups with coconut oil.
- Whisk together the flax and water in a large bowl. Set aside to ‘gel’ for 3 minutes.
- Add the coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix well.
- In a smaller bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and rolled oats. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. They will be quite full.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
- To make the ganache, place the coconut milk and dark chocolate in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk often until the chocolate has melted. Add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of vanilla extract, if desired.
- Transfer into a bowl and refrigerate for 4-6 hours, or until it has the consistency of a spreadable frosting.
- Optional step: Beat the ganache with an electric mixer to make it more fluffy. (I didn’t find this to be necessary.)
- Spread the frosting over the cupcakes. If you have leftover frosting, it’s also delicious on its own or topped with berries as a chocolate mousse-style treat!
Notes
While the cupcakes are quick and easy, you will need to account for the amount of time that it takes the ganache to chill (4-6 hours). You might wish to make the ganache early in the day so that it’s ready by the time you want to enjoy it. Alternatively, you could opt to make this chocolate date frosting or this chocolate avocado frosting for a quicker option.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake with frosting
- Calories: 403
- Sugar: 26.6 g
- Sodium: 507.7 mg
- Fat: 18.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 13.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 53.9 g
- Fiber: 4.7 g
- Protein: 5.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0.7 mg
Note: This recipe was originally published in 2020, and was updated with streamlined ingredients and notes in February 2021.
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Alisha says
Can you use sub spelt flour with anything else?
Allison says
I haven’t tried any other flours but I’m guessing that gluten-free all purpose baking flour by Bob’s Red Mill would work for a gluten-free option. Or you could try oat flour- the end result would be more dense and muffin-like, but still good. If you don’t need it to be gluten-free, regular all purpose flour or whole wheat flour will work. 🙂 Enjoy.
Marianne says
These are the best cupcakes I made so far. Great flavour and my kids gobbled them up too fast.
Laura says
I do love cupcakes and this recipe is so good. I made these for my daughter’s birthday and everyone raved about them! I will definitely make another batch soon. Thank you for posting this one.