Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
This Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting is a delicious and unique twist on the classic banana cake. The addition of rich brown butter elevates this cake to a whole new level of flavor.
One of our favorite things about this recipe is that it uses overripe bananas, which are often overlooked and end up going to waste. But with this cake, those bananas become the star ingredient and provide natural sweetness and moisture.
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s always a hit at parties and potlucks.
- Not only does the brown butter provide a deep, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the natural sweetness of bananas, but this cake also boasts a moist and tender crumb that will make it a hit for any gathering or family dessert.
- It’s an excellent way to use up those overripe bananas and turn them into a dessert that feels both comforting and gourmet.
🛒Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to help you make this delicious banana cake recipe. Grab these ingredients on your next trip to the grocery store and you will have a delicious cake to share with your family and friends in no time at all.
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- granulated sugar
- butter
- eggs
- sour cream
- over-ripe bananas
- vanilla extract
Frosting:
- butter
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
- heavy cream
See the recipe card below for quantities.
🔪 How to Make This Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
Making this delicious banana cake is so simple. Just follow these step-by-step instructions and you will have a sweet treat that is full of banana flavor to share with your family in no time at all.
Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare your pan
Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
Step 3: Combine the wet ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the granulated sugar and softened butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until well combined. Beat in the sour cream, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract.
Step 4: Finish the batter
Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread out edge to edge.
Step 5: Bake and cool the cake
Bake the cake at 375F for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and cool to room temperature.
Step 6: Brown the butter
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and continue to cook until the butter begins to turn a light amber brown. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar and vanilla. The frosting will be thick and chunky.
Step 7: Finish the frosting
Add 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream and whisk until the frosting is smooth, adding more cream a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. It’s best when smooth and thick enough to spread but can also be made thinner to drizzle over the cake. Spread the frosting over the completely cooled cake.
📝Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!
- Nuts – Add chopped nuts, like pecans or walnuts, to the batter for some added crunch.
- Chocolate chips – stir in some chocolate chips before baking for a delicious twist on this classic banana cake.
- Cream cheese frosting – instead of brown butter frosting, top your cake with a creamy cream cheese frosting.
If you love banana cake recipes like this then next time you may want to give this Banana Pudding Layer Cake recipe a try.
🥄 Equipment
You will need some simple kitchen tools to help you make this delicious cake. Gather these tools so you can make this sweet banana cake recipe.
- 9×13 cake pan
- mixing bowls
- whisk
- hand mixer
- large skillet
🥫 Storage
Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Just remember to keep the cake away from heat sources like the stove so that the brown butter frosting doesn’t melt off the cake.
Serve With
A slice of this cake goes great with a tall glass of milk or a warm cup of coffee. However, you could also pair it with your favorite meal like this Mini Meatloaves or these Hobo Dinner Foil Packets.
💭 Tips
Here are a few tips that you can use to ensure that this delicious banana cake with brown butter frosting turns out perfectly.
- For the perfect banana cake, ensure your bananas are over-ripe which means they’re rich in natural sugars and packed with flavor.
- When mixing your batter, go for a delicate hand; over-mixing can lead to a dense cake rather than a light, fluffy delight.
- Always cool your cake completely before frosting to prevent the rich, brown butter frosting from melting into the cake, ensuring a smooth, pristine finish.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Absolutely! This banana cake with brown butter frosting is a fantastic make-ahead dessert. You can bake the cake ahead of time and store it, covered, at room temperature for a day before you plan to serve it.
Yes, you can freeze this cake. Wrap the unfrosted cake tightly with plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw the cake in the refrigerator overnight and then bring it to room temperature before frosting and serving.
Brown butter, also known as beurre noisette, has a rich, nutty flavor that is achieved by gently toasting the milk solids in the butter. It adds a warm, caramel-like taste that enhances baked goods.
🍽 More Banana Recipes
Do you enjoy banana recipes? If so, give these banana recipes a try:
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
Equipment
- 9×13 cake pan
- mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Hand mixer
- large skillet
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup butter softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3-4 over ripe bananas peeled and mashed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Frosting:
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In large mixing bowl, beat together the granulated sugar and softened butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until well combined.
- Beat in the sour cream, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread out edge to edge.
- Bake the cake at 375F for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and cool to room temperature.
Frosting:
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and continue to cook until the butter begins to turn a light amber brown.
- Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar and vanilla. The frosting will be thick and chunky.
- Add 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream and whisk until the frosting is smooth, adding more cream a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. It’s best when smooth and thick enough to spread but can also be made thinner to drizzle over the cake.
- Spread the frosting over the completely cooled cake.
