Brown Butter Banana Cake (Printable)
Nutty brown butter banana cake topped with thick, tangy cream cheese frosting. Decadent and perfectly moist.
# What You'll Need:
→ Brown Butter Banana Cake
01 - 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter
02 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
09 - 1/2 cup sour cream
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Thick Cream Cheese Frosting
11 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
12 - 1/4 cup (half stick) unsalted butter, softened
13 - 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 - Pinch of salt
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x9-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving slight overhang on the sides for easy removal.
02 - Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently as it melts, foams, and eventually turns a golden amber color with a nutty aroma, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Immediately transfer to a mixing bowl and let cool for about 10 minutes.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - Add the granulated sugar to the browned butter and beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is creamy and well incorporated.
05 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until fully combined before adding the next.
06 - Stir in the mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Mix until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
07 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, folding gently with a spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
08 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
09 - Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack before frosting.
10 - In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, beating until the frosting is thick, creamy, and spreadable.
11 - Spread the cream cheese frosting generously and evenly over the completely cooled cake. Slice into squares and serve.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- Brown butter takes a simple banana cake and gives it a deep, toasty depth that makes people close their eyes on the first bite.
- The cream cheese frosting is thick enough to stand a spoon in, tangy enough to balance all that sweetness, and honestly good enough to eat straight from the bowl.
- It uses everyday pantry ingredients but tastes like something from a bakery that charges eleven dollars a slice.
02 -
- Brown butter goes from perfect to burnt in about thirty seconds, so never walk away from the pan once it starts foaming.
- Overmixing the batter after adding flour will make the cake dense and tough, so stop folding the moment you stop seeing dry streaks.
03 -
- Strain the brown butter through a fine mesh sieve if you want a smoother cake, though I love those little toasty flecks throughout.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter for a full two minutes before adding sugar because the longer you whip, the lighter and silkier your frosting becomes.