Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

These Instant Pot Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting come out moist and full of banana and peanut butter flavor. The best part is they are free from refined sugar. I love the better balance of eating healthy cupcakes for a treat after dinner. 

The Instant Pot is a game changer in the kitchen. If you haven’t figured it out yet the Instant Pot pretty much does everything, and then some more. 

Pressure cooker baking is a thing, and these Instant Pot Cupcakes are the perfect recipe to prove it. Baking in the Instant Pot is easy peasy, and bakes incredibly delicious and fluffy cakes.

This banana cupcake recipe is a great way to enjoy cupcakes, with out all the added ingredients and processed sugars associated with a traditional cake recipe. As written, these peanut butter cupcakes are vegetarian, gluten free, and dairy free.  They can be easily adapted to fit the ingredients you already have in your pantry, or around any food allergies or other preferences that you may have.

This delicious cupcake is a special treat with simple ingredients. Our healthy twist on the classic cupcakes is loaded with delicious flavors that the whole family will absolutely go crazy over. 

Where’s the Recipe?

To better serve all of my readers here at My Crazy Good Life, I’ve made a commitment to put a ton of helpful information in all of my posts. 

If you’d like to skip over the information about freezing, ingredients, and diet information, please simply scroll to the bottom of this post, where you will find the easy to print Instant Pot Cupcakes recipe!

Ingredients in Instant Pot Cupcakes

• Bananas: Ripe bananas add a natural sweetness to the recipe. 
• Almond milk: A vegan alternative to cow’s milk. 
• Maple Syrup: Maple syrup is a fantastic unrefined sugar that is perfect in many different recipes. I love using it in place of the powdered sugar you would typically find in chocolate frosting recipes.
• Egg: If wanting to make this recipe vegan, read more about our recommended egg substitute. 
• Vanilla Extract: Using vanilla extract helps to balance the flavors in these chocolate banana cupcakes.
• Flour: Rice flour, if looking for gluten free, or whole wheat flour.
• Baking Powder: You can thank baking powder for your fluffy cupcake. Baking powder helps provide little air bubbles when baking and that helps give it the fluffy texture we all love and enjoy. 
• Baking Soda: Baking soda helps the rising of baked goods.
• Salt: Salt helps to balance the sweetness and enhance the flavor of these banana cupcakes.
• Peanut Butter: Peanut butter is one of my favorite flavors in a dessert. I love knowing there is a boost of protein and a ton of delicious flavor. 
• Cocoa Powder: The cocoa powder is the perfect addition to the flavors in the frosting.  

How to make Instant Pot Cupcakes in the Instant Pot

Time needed: 35 minutes

If you don’t have silicone molds, you can use ramekins or even oven safe coffee mugs for this recipe.

1. Prepare your pot: Place a trivet in the bottom of the pot and add 2 cups of water.
2. Make your batter: Mash two large bananas in a medium mixing bowl. Gently stir in the wet ingredients to the mashed bananas: almond milk, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract. Next, add the dry ingredients: rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Now is the time to add any optional mix-ins.
3. Fill your cupcake liners: Lightly spray silicone muffin cups with cooking spray and fill each cavity ¾ full with batter. You can use ramekins, mason jars, or a springform pan as well.
4. Cover: Tightly cover the cupcakes with aluminum foil, and place your cupcakes onto the trivet. You may have to make two rows. If so, rotate the liners slightly to keep the cupcakes from stacking directly on top of one another.
5. Pressure Cook: Close the lid and turn the valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cook time for 25 minutes. If making a cake, cook for 35 minutes.
6. Make your frosting: While your cupcakes are cooking mix peanut butter, maple syrup, and cocoa powder together in a small bowl. Mix until well combined and there are no remaining lumps of cocoa powder.
7. Natural Release: When the cook time is complete, let the pressure release naturally. Once the pressure valve drops, remove the lid and gently remove your cupcakes.
8. Cool your cupcakes: Remove the aluminum foil covers from your cupcakes and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
9. Frost: Once the cupcakes are cooled, use a spatula to spread 1 tbsp of frosting on top of each cupcake.

How to make these Cupcakes in the Oven

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly spray a muffin pan with cooking spray.
3. Mash two large bananas in a large bowl. Gently stir in almond milk, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla extract, rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and any optional mix-ins. 
4. Fill each muffin cup ¾ full with batter. 
5. Cook for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. 
6. While your cupcakes are cooking, whisk together the peanut butter, maple syrup, and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl to make the frosting. Mix until well combined and there are no lumps of cocoa powder. You can use an electric mixer or mix the frosting by hand.
7. Allow your cupcakes to cool in the muffin tin to room temperature.
8. Once the cupcakes are cooled, use a spatula to cover each with 1 tbsp of frosting.

Recipe Tips

• A handheld potato masher works perfectly to mash your bananas.  
• Sometimes I like to omit the cocoa powder from the frosting. The sweet peanut butter frosting is amazing without the chocolate. 
• Rice flour can be substituted in equal amounts for whole wheat flour, or gluten free flour. 
• This recipe works well as a banana cake too! Just add your batter to sprayed springform pan, and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, with a natural pressure release.
• Want to make banana chocolate chip cupcakes? Adding in chocolate chips is an easy way to sweeten these up a bit! I’d add 1/4 cup to the batter.
• These banana cupcakes with peanut butter store well in an airtight container. 
• Sometimes I don’t frost the cupcakes and eat them instead as banana bread muffins.
• Cooking time might be different if baking at a higher altitude.

Healthy Eating Plans

These are the counts I’ve figured for specific diets based on the recipe as written, with no additional or optional ingredients.

21 Day Fix Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting 

One of these 21 Day Fix Instant Pot Cupcakes counts as a Yellow Container treat swap. 

2B Mindset

This counts as a “silly” carb or treat.

Weight Watchers

Our Weight Watchers Instant Pot Cupcake version is just as delicious.

Want more Instant Pot dessert recipes?

• Instant Pot Brownies
• Instant Pot Cheesecake
• Starbucks Espresso Brownies Copycat
• Instant Pot Lava Chocolate Cake

5 from 13 ratings

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Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

Created by: Becca Ludlum

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Approximate Serving Size: 1 cupcake

Servings 6

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These Instant Pot Cupcakes are easy and healthy! Gluten free, dairy free banana cupcakes with chocolate peanut butter frosting are made from scratch in the Instant Pot or right in the oven!

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Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Teacup Molds
• Instant Pot Trivet

Ingredients 

Cupcakes:

• ▢ 2 banana ripe and mashed
• ▢ ¼ cup almond milk or soy milk
• ▢ ½ cup maple syrup
• ▢ 1 eggs
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla
• ▢ 1 cup rice flour or whole wheat flour
• ▢ ¼ tsp baking soda
• ▢ 1 tsp baking powder
• ▢ ¼ tsp salt

Frosting:

• ▢ ¼ cup peanut butter smooth
• ▢ 1½ tbsp maple syrup
• ▢ 1 tbsp cocoa powder

Instructions

Instant Pot

• Place a trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot and add 2 cups of water.
• Mash two large bananas in a medium mixing bowl. Gently stir in the almond milk, maple syrup, egg, vanilla extract, rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Nows the time to add any optional mix-ins. 2 banana, 1/4 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 cup rice flour, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt
• Lightly spray silicone cupcake liners with cooking spray and fill each cavity ¾ full with batter. You can use ramekins, mason jars, or a springform pan as well.
• Tightly cover the cupcakes with aluminum foil, and place your cupcakes onto the trivet. You may have to make two rows. If so, turn the liners slightly to keep the cupcakes from stacking directly on top of one another.
• Close and lock the lid and turn the valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook and set the cook time for 25 minutes. If making a cake, cook for 35 minutes.
• While your cupcakes are cooking mix peanut butter, maple syrup, and cocoa powder together in a small bowl. Mix until well combined and there are no lumps of cocoa powder. 1/4 cup peanut butter, 1½ tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• When the cook time is complete, let the pressure release naturally. Once the pressure valve drops remove the lid, and gently remove your cupcakes.
• Remove the aluminum foil covers from your cupcakes, and let them cool to room temperature.
• Once the cupcakes are cooled, use a spatula to spread 1 tbsp of frosting on top of each cupcake.

Oven

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Lightly spray a cupcake pan with cooking spray.
• Mash two large bananas in a medium mixing bowl. Gently stir in almond milk, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla extract, rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and any optional mix-ins. 2 banana, 1/4 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt
• Fill each cupcake cavity ¾ full with batter.
• Cook for 35 minutes, or until a knife inserts and comes out clean.
• While your cupcakes are cooking, mix the peanut butter, maple syrup, and cocoa powder together in a small bowl. Mix until well combined and there are no lumps of cocoa powder. 1/4 cup peanut butter, 1½ tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• Allow your cupcakes to cool to room temperature.
• Once the cupcakes are cooled, use a spatula to cover each with 1 tbsp of frosting.

Video

Notes

Healthy Diet Information

• 21 Day Fix: One of these 21 Day Fix Cupcakes counts as a Yellow Container treat swap. 
• 2B Mindset : This counts as a “silly” carb or treat.

Recipe Tips

• A handheld potato masher works perfectly to mash your bananas.  
• Sometimes I like to omit the cocoa powder from the frosting. The sweet peanut butter frosting is amazing without the chocolate. 
• Rice flour can be substituted in equal amounts for whole wheat flour, or gluten free flour. 
• This works well as a cake too! Just add your batter to sprayed springform pan, and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, with a natural pressure release.
• Adding in chocolate chips is an easy way to sweeten these up a bit! I’d add 1/4 cup to the batter.
• Our Instant Pot Cupcakes store well in an airtight container. 
• I love leaving the frosting off these and leaving them as banana bread muffins!
• Cooking time might be different if baking at a higher altitude. 

Want more Instant Pot baking recipes?

• Instant Pot Brownies
• Instant Pot Cheesecake

Nutrition

Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 393mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 1mg

Make This Recipe?

Make sure to follow on Pinterest @bludlum and on Instagram @beccaludlum