Banana Brown Butter Cake
Banana Brown Butter Cake is a rich and moist dessert made with ripe bananas and brown butter, which adds a nutty, caramelized flavor. The cake is typically made by browning butter, mashing bananas, and combining them with flour, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. It’s baked until golden and can be topped with frosting or served plain.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or whisk
- 9×13 inch baking pan (or 2 smaller cake pans)
- Saucepan (for browning butter)
- Spatula or spoon
- Cooling rack (optional)
Ingredients
- 2-3 ripe bananas about 1 ½ cups mashed
- 1 cup salted butter browned and solidified
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar not packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sour cream or plain yogurt for extra moisture
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 1 ½ cups Plain Whole Milk Lifeway Kefir room temperature
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until it turns golden brown with a nutty aroma, about 5-7 minutes. Let it cool and solidify.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mash the ripe bananas until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the browned butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract, sour cream or yogurt, canola oil, and kefir.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in the mashed bananas.
- Pour the batter into a greased 9×13 inch baking pan (or divide into two smaller pans) and smooth the top. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack to cool completely. Slice and serve!
Notes
✦ Brown Butter: Be sure not to rush the browning process. If you heat it too quickly, you risk burning the butter. Take your time, and you’ll enjoy the best flavor!
✦ Banana Ripeness: The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your cake will be. If your bananas are on the verge of becoming overripe, they are perfect for this recipe!
✦ Frosting: While the brown butter frosting is absolutely delicious, you can skip it if you prefer a lighter cake. The cake itself is rich and flavorful, even without the frosting.
✦ Storage: Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. It also freezes well if you’d like to make it ahead of time. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap before freezing.