Salted Caramel Brown Butter Banana (Printable)
Moist banana cake enriched with brown butter and draped in salted caramel for a rich, sweet-and-salty finish.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Brown Butter Banana Cake
01 - 1 cup unsalted butter
02 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
08 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
09 - 1 1/2 cups ripe mashed bananas (about 3 to 4 bananas)
10 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
11 - 1/2 cup sour cream
→ Salted Caramel Sauce
12 - 1 cup granulated sugar
13 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
14 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
15 - 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
→ Caramel Frosting (optional)
16 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
17 - 2 cups powdered sugar
18 - 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce (prepared above)
19 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk, as needed
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a small saucepan, melt 1 cup unsalted butter over medium heat, stirring until the butter foams and develops brown flecks with a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
04 - In a large bowl, combine the cooled brown butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
05 - Fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients. Add sour cream and mix gently until just combined.
06 - Transfer batter to the prepared pan. Smooth the surface and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
07 - In a clean saucepan over medium heat, cook granulated sugar, stirring constantly, until melted and amber. Carefully whisk in cubed unsalted butter until smooth. Slowly add heavy cream; the mixture will bubble. Stir in flaky sea salt and cool to room temperature.
08 - In a bowl, beat softened unsalted butter until creamy. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar and 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches desired consistency.
09 - Once the cake is cooled, cover with caramel frosting or drizzle generously with salted caramel sauce. Sprinkle additional sea salt flakes if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- That glossy swipe of salted caramel on top will have people swiping the sides of the pan long after the party.
- It’s practically impossible to mess up, and you get to impress everyone with flavors that make store-bought cake taste boring.
02 -
- Once, I tried to rush the caramel and ended up with stubborn sugar lumps—patience here really pays off.
- Adding the sour cream at the very end keeps the cake tender, so don’t skip or substitute it unless you want to experiment.
03 -
- If you’re nervous about the caramel spattering, use a long-handled whisk and pour in cream slowly off the heat.
- Always brown more butter than you think you’ll need—you’ll be amazed how quickly it vanishes from the pan.