Upside Down Banana Cake
You’ll go ape for this soft, buttery Upside Down Banana Cake with a layer of rich, sweet, caramelized brown sugar bananas!
A “flip” on the traditional pineapple cake, this scrumptious, simple, made-from-scratch Upside Down Banana Cake will become a new favorite! This recipe combines a homemade butter cake (flour, sugar, eggs, milk, baking powder, etc.) with the decadent deliciousness of caramelized bananas!
A Brilliant Recipe for Bananas
Occasionally, we’re all left with overripe bananas on the kitchen counter. We either 1) turn them into a warm, wonderful loaf of Banana Nut Bread or 2) throw them out and feel guilty about food waste. This recipe gives you another fabulous alternative!
Not only is Banana Upside-Down Cake a brilliant use for overripe bananas, but it’s also the BEST banana recipe ever! The butter and brown sugar combine with the banana slices to create a heavenly, caramelized candy-like layer. Every bite is an absolute dream! Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or chilled from the fridge!
Other Upside-Down Recipes to Serve
- Create this Cranberry Upside Down Cake for a Christmas version of this classic dessert!
- Pina Colada Pineapple Upside Down Cake tosses a little coconut into the classic pineapple dessert for a tasty, tropical treat!
Ingredients
Dry: The dry ingredients for the cake include cake flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Nothing complicated here!
Moist: The cake’s “wet” ingredients are unsalted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract.
Fruit: Sliced bananas will be caramelized to a rich, sugary perfection!
How to Make Upside Down Banana Cake
STEP ONE: Grease and flour a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish or pan. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the melted butter and brown sugar, mixing well. Spread the brown sugar evenly in the bottom of your cake pan. Lay the banana slices in a single layer over the brown sugar. Set aside.
STEP TWO: Beat the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Add the milk and vanilla and beat until combined.
STEP THREE: Mix the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
STEP FOUR: Pour cake batter evenly into the pan, covering the bananas. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the center springs back when lightly pressed or a toothpick inserted halfway comes out clean. The center should be set (AKA doesn’t jiggle).
STEP FIVE: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then, run a knife around the edges of the pan. Carefully flip the cake out onto a serving platter. Cut it into slices, and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Cut the banana slices on the thicker side to prevent them from falling apart when you flip the cake.
- Allow the cake to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing it from the pan. This allows the caramelized banana bottom to set and become a beautiful banana TOP!
- Overmixing makes a cake dense and heavy, so only mix the dry cake ingredients until you can no longer see any dry parts in the batter.
- Grease the baking pan generously to preserve the integrity of the caramelized bananas when you flip the cake over.
How Do I Flip an Upside-Down Cake without Messing it Up?
Upside-down cakes don’t get icing, so keeping them intact is crucial for their presentation. The most important aspect of flipping a cake is allowing it to cool for 10-15 minutes before you turn it over onto a plate. It’s also helpful to run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen up any places it may have stuck. Place a large plate over the cake pan, then use hot pads to carefully and quickly flip the cake and plate upside down. If needed, gently tap on the bottom of the pan. This should do the trick!
How Long Can You Save an Upside-Down Cake?
A Banana Upside Down Cake (like Pineapple Upside Down Cake) is fabulous from the fridge! So, it’s good to know it will keep covered and chilled for 4-5 days. You can also freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months, but it’s not recommended. While the flavor will still be great, the texture of the fruit will become mealy. So, since it’s easy to make, just enjoy it fresh!
Go Bananas for These Other Desserts!
- Banana Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting
- Banana Split Trifle
- Homemade Banana Pudding
- Banana Pudding Pops
- Banana Cream Pie
- Banana Split Poke Cake
*This post originally posted on 03/21/2015.
Upside Down Banana Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Banana Layer
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 4 bananas peeled and sliced
Cake
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups cake flour (see note)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish or pan. Set aside.
Banana Layer
- In a medium bowl, mix the melted butter and brown sugar until well combined. Spread the brown sugar mixture evenly over the bottom of the baking dish.
- Arrange the sliced bananas in a single layer over the brown sugar. Set the dish aside.
Cake
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the milk and vanilla and beat until combined.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour the cake batter evenly into the pan over the banana slices. (You want to keep moving the bowl as the batter pours in so the bananas don't get pushed away from any one area. This will keep the cake pretty once you remove it from the pan.)
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the center bounces back when lightly pressed. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean, and the middle should be set (no jiggles).
- Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Then run a knife around the edges of the cake and carefully invert it onto a serving platter. Cut into 12 slices and enjoy!
This is definitely drool worthy! I think it’s one of those facepalm-why-didn’t-I-think-of-that-sooner moments; the idea of caramelized ooey gooey bananas on top of a cake. Inviting myself over for a slice!