Salted Caramel Brown Butter Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Salted Caramel Brown Butter Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Brown Butter Banana Cake
- 3 ripe bananas, medium, peeled
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream, as needed
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to easily lift the cake out later.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350
- 2
In a light-colored saucepan, melt the 1/2 cup of unsalted butter over medium heat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns a golden brown color and smells nutty. Be careful not to burn it. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the peeled ripe bananas. Mash them until smooth. Add the slightly cooled brown butter and granulated sugar to the mashed bananas, mixing on medium speed until well incorporated and creamy.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Crack in the large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract. Then, pour in the Greek yogurt and milk, mixing until all wet ingredients are thoroughly combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in the stand mixer, mixing on low speed until just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
Pour the prepared cake batter into the lined 8x8 inch baking dish and spread evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
⏱️ 40 min
- 8
While the cake is baking, prepare the salted caramel sauce. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to boil. Continue to cook until the syrup turns a deep amber color, swirling the pan occasionally to ensure even cooking. This can take 8-12 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
Once the caramel reaches the desired color, immediately remove it from the heat. Carefully whisk in the cubed room temperature unsalted butter until fully melted and combined. Then, slowly pour in the warmed heavy cream while whisking continuously. Be cautious as the mixture will bubble vigorously. Stir in the sea salt until dissolved. Transfer the caramel sauce to a heatproof bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
After the cake has cooled for 15 minutes in the pan, use the handle of a wooden spoon or a skewer to poke numerous small holes all over the surface of the warm cake, going about halfway down.
⏱️ 3 min
- 11
Pour the cooled salted caramel sauce generously over the hole-poked cake, ensuring the caramel seeps down into the holes. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour, allowing the caramel to fully absorb.
⏱️ 60 min
- 12
Once the cake is completely cool, prepare the cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese and softened unsalted butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 13
Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing on low speed until combined, then increasing to medium until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract. If the frosting is too thick, add milk or heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
⏱️ 5 min
- 14
Evenly spread the cream cheese frosting over the top surface of the cooled, caramel-soaked banana cake. You can use an offset spatula for a smooth finish.
⏱️ 3 min
- 15
Slice the cake into square pieces and serve. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Salted Caramel Brown Butter Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Brown Butter Banana Cake
- 3 ripe bananas, medium, peeled
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream, as needed
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to easily lift the cake out later.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 2
In a light-colored saucepan, melt the 1/2 cup of unsalted butter over medium heat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns a golden brown color and smells nutty. Be careful not to burn it. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the peeled ripe bananas. Mash them until smooth. Add the slightly cooled brown butter and granulated sugar to the mashed bananas, mixing on medium speed until well incorporated and creamy.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Crack in the large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract. Then, pour in the Greek yogurt and milk, mixing until all wet ingredients are thoroughly combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in the stand mixer, mixing on low speed until just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
⏱️ 3 min - 7
Pour the prepared cake batter into the lined 8x8 inch baking dish and spread evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
⏱️ 40 min - 8
While the cake is baking, prepare the salted caramel sauce. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to boil. Continue to cook until the syrup turns a deep amber color, swirling the pan occasionally to ensure even cooking. This can take 8-12 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
Once the caramel reaches the desired color, immediately remove it from the heat. Carefully whisk in the cubed room temperature unsalted butter until fully melted and combined. Then, slowly pour in the warmed heavy cream while whisking continuously. Be cautious as the mixture will bubble vigorously. Stir in the sea salt until dissolved. Transfer the caramel sauce to a heatproof bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
After the cake has cooled for 15 minutes in the pan, use the handle of a wooden spoon or a skewer to poke numerous small holes all over the surface of the warm cake, going about halfway down.
⏱️ 3 min - 11
Pour the cooled salted caramel sauce generously over the hole-poked cake, ensuring the caramel seeps down into the holes. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour, allowing the caramel to fully absorb.
⏱️ 60 min - 12
Once the cake is completely cool, prepare the cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese and softened unsalted butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 13
Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing on low speed until combined, then increasing to medium until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract. If the frosting is too thick, add milk or heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
⏱️ 5 min - 14
Evenly spread the cream cheese frosting over the top surface of the cooled, caramel-soaked banana cake. You can use an offset spatula for a smooth finish.
⏱️ 3 min - 15
Slice the cake into square pieces and serve. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
⏱️ 1 min