Brown Butter Banana Cake
If you love classic banana bread but want something more softer, richer and elegant, this Brown Butter Banana Cake is the perfect recipe. Moist, tender cake layered with caramelized bananas, crunchy candied walnuts and cream cheese frosting. It's the perfect centerpiece for dessert tables or special gatherings.
Ingredients
- 1½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup neutral oil
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
For the caramelized bananas:
- 2 large bananas
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons butter
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 8 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
For the candied walnuts:
- 1½ cups walnuts
- 1/2 cup sugar
Click between "US Customary" or "Metric" button above to switch between conversions. For precise results, it's recommended to weigh your dry ingredients using a digital scale in grams as measuring in cups can have uncertainties.
Instructions
Prepare the pan
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch round pan with butter or oil.
Caramelize the bananas
- In a small skillet, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter and 2 Tablespoons of brown sugar. Add sliced bananas cut side down and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until soft, glossy and caramelized. Set aside to cool down.
Mix the wet ingredients
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, milk, oil and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined.
Add the dry ingredients
- Add flour, baking powder and salt to the wet ingredients. Whisk to combine together. Then add the caramelized bananas and mix until evenly distributed.
Bake
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake for 33-35 minutes until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely. This may take a few hours.
Make the praline walnuts
- While the cake is baking, make the candied walnuts. See directions for how to make candied walnuts below.
Make the cream frosting
- Add softened cream cheese to mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat for 1-2 minutes. If using cold cream cheese, beat for 2-3 minutes.
- Then, gradually add half the heavy cream while mixing. Once fulling combined, add the remainder of the heavy cream and powdered sugar. Do not overmix. Beat until fluffy and stiff peaks enough to hold its shape. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
Make the candied walnuts
- While the cake is baking, make the candied walnuts. Have a piece of parchment paper ready to pour the hot walnuts to set on.
- Put the sugar in a small saucepan. Carefully swirl and mix so the sugar caramelizes evenly.
- Once the sugar is dissolved and is a deep amber color, keep the pot on the heat and add the walnuts. Stir with a spatula to coat well with the sugar.
- Pour onto baking sheet and spread it out a little bit into 2-3 chunk pieces. Leave for at least one hour to set.
Assemble the cake
- Once the cake is completely cooled, spread a thin layer of caramel on top of the cake evenly. Go past the edges to create a dip affect.
Create a frosting rim
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip or cut the end of the bag. Pipe a thick border of frosting round the outer edge of the cake. Then continue the pattern until the cake is covered. Gently smooth the center frosting, leaving the border in place.
Arrange the praline walnuts
- Place the pieces of candied walnuts along the edges of the cake, about an inch away from the border. Sprinkle crushed pieces over the whole walnuts. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Bring to room temperature 20 minutes before serving for best results.
Nutrition
Calories: 534kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 8gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 226mgPotassium: 189mgFiber: 2gSugar: 44gVitamin A: 579IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 129mgIron: 2mg
The provided nutritional value above is an estimate per serving. 100% accuracy is not guarenteed. Please see Nutrition Information Disclaimer in our Privacy Policy.
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