At some point, over-raped bananas yearn to be something greater than bread. Such was the life of this cake at the mercy of that moment, attempting to accomplish something remarkable with spotty, caramel-scented bananas.
The Best Banana Cake I’ve Ever Had!
Description
Designed with heritage bakers in mind and baked tirelessly, the recipe toes a line between heritage and innovation. The crumb? Cloudy, courtesy of buttermilk and brown butter. The frosting? Silken, tangy, and speckled with toasted depth. It's the kind of cake that lingers, an unassuming ingredient raised to royalty.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
For the Frosting:
Instructions
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Brown the Butter for Frosting
Melt ½ cup butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Swirl constantly until golden-brown specks appear and it has a nutty aroma (5–7 minutes). Pour mixture into a heatproof bowl, scraping all browned bits. Chill 30 minutes until solid but spreadable.
Chef's Tip: Brown butter in a stainless steel pan to easily see color changes.
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Prep the Bananas & Dry Mix
Mash bananas with a fork to smooth, leaving small lumps for texture. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
Chef's Tip: Freeze very ripe bananas if not baking immediately—thaw and drain excess liquid.
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Cream Butter, Sugars & Eggs
Beat softened butter, oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on high until fluffy (3 minutes). Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Fold in bananas.
Chef's Tip: Room-temperature eggs help to prevent curdling.
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Alternate Dry & Wet Ingredients
Mix ⅓ of the flour mixture into the batter, then ½ the buttermilk and sour cream. Repeat, ending with flour. Stir until just combined.
Chef's Tip: Don't overmix = dense cake. Lumps are okay.
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Bake & Freeze for Moisture
Pour batter into greased 9x13" pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) 45–50 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, then freeze 45 minutes (trust us).
Chef's Tip: Tent with foil if top browns too quickly.
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Whip the Brown Butter Frosting
Beat cold brown butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt gradually. Beat 2 minutes until light.
Chef's Tip: Sift powdered sugar to avoid lumps.
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Frost & Enjoy
Spread frosting on cooled cake. Chill 30 minutes to firm. Slice, serve, and enjoy smiles.
Chef's Tip: Top with banana chips or toasted walnuts.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 12
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 580kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 25g39%
- Saturated Fat 15g75%
- Trans Fat 2g
- Cholesterol 2mg1%
- Sodium 33mg2%
- Potassium 10mg1%
- Total Carbohydrate 85g29%
- Dietary Fiber 2g8%
- Sugars 83g
- Protein 6g12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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