Brown Butter Banana Cake (Printable)
Nutty brown butter banana cake topped with thick, tangy cream cheese frosting. Pure indulgence.
# What You'll Need:
→ Brown Butter Banana Cake
01 - 3/4 cup (1 1/2 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 ounces 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 oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x9-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides for easy removal.
02 - Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Continue cooking until the butter foams, turns a golden amber color, and releases a nutty aroma, about 5 to 7 minutes. Immediately transfer to a mixing bowl and let cool slightly.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - In a large bowl, beat the browned butter with the granulated sugar using an electric mixer until creamy and well incorporated.
05 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until the mixture is smooth and emulsified.
06 - Fold in the mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract, mixing until the batter is smooth and uniform.
07 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet batter, folding gently with a spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
08 - Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and use a spatula to smooth the surface evenly.
09 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden.
10 - Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack before applying frosting.
11 - In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, beating until the frosting is thick and creamy.
12 - Spread the cream cheese frosting generously over the completely cooled cake. Slice into squares and serve.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Brown butter adds a deep, nutty richness that regular butter simply cannot match.
- The sour cream keeps the crumb incredibly tender and moist for days.
- That thick cream cheese frosting spreads like a dream and balances the sweetness perfectly.
02 -
- The cake must cool completely before frosting, otherwise the cream cheese will melt and slide right off in a messy puddle.
- Watch the butter like a hawk while browning, it can go from perfectly nutty to burnt in seconds once the foam subsides.
- Refrigerate any leftovers and the cake will stay moist and delicious for up to four days.
03 -
- Tap the cake pan gently on the counter a couple of times before baking to release any trapped air bubbles that could create tunnels in your crumb.
- For the silkiest frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together for a full two minutes before adding any sugar.