Brown Butter Banana Cake (Printable)
Moist banana cake with nutty brown butter and tangy cream cheese frosting.
# 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 (1/2 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 overhang on two sides for easy removal.
02 - Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Continue cooking until the butter foams, turns a deep golden brown, and releases a nutty aroma, about 5 to 7 minutes. Immediately transfer to a large mixing bowl and let cool for 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 vigorously until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
05 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated and the batter looks glossy.
06 - Fold in the mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract, stirring until the mixture is smooth and no large banana chunks remain.
07 - Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet batter, folding gently with a spatula until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks remain to keep the cake tender.
08 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly, smoothing the top.
09 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10 - Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour until it reaches room temperature before frosting.
11 - Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, beating on low speed until combined, then increasing to medium-high until the frosting is thick and creamy.
12 - Spread the cream cheese frosting generously over the cooled cake using an offset spatula. Slice into 12 squares and serve.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The brown butter adds a deep, toasty complexity that makes people ask what your secret is.
- That cream cheese frosting is thick enough to stand a spoon in and tangy enough to balance all the sweetness.
- It uses everyday pantry ingredients but tastes like something from a bakery display case.
02 -
- Transfer the brown butter to a bowl the moment it turns amber because it can burn in seconds and go from nutty perfection to bitter disappointment.
- The cake must be completely cool before frosting or you will end up with a soupy, sliding mess that breaks your heart.
03 -
- Let the brown butter cool until it is warm rather than hot, because adding eggs to hot butter will scramble them and ruin the batter.
- Do not overmix once the flour goes in, as a few gentle folds produce a far more tender crumb than aggressive stirring ever will.