Brown Butter Banana Cake (Printable)
Moist banana cake with nutty brown butter and thick cream cheese frosting for any celebration.
# 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 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
08 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
10 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/4 cups)
11 - 1/2 cup sour cream
12 - 1/4 cup whole milk
→ Thick Cream Cheese Frosting
13 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
14 - 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
15 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
16 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
17 - Pinch of salt
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides for easy removal.
02 - Place unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously as it melts, foams, and eventually develops a golden brown color with a fragrant nutty aroma, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed. Set aside.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the browned butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat until well incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract, mashed bananas, sour cream, and whole milk until smooth.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, folding gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to keep the cake tender.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool completely before frosting.
08 - In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until creamy and smooth. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Continue beating until the frosting is thick, fluffy, and spreadable.
09 - Spread the frosting generously and evenly over the cooled cake. For cleaner slices, chill the cake briefly before cutting into squares.
# Tips from dashanddishes:
01 -
- Brown butter transforms ordinary banana cake into something people will genuinely ask you about.
- The cream cheese frosting is thick enough to stand up on its own and balances the deep caramel notes beautifully.
02 -
- Walking away while browning butter is how you end up with black butter and a ruined pan, so stay right there and keep stirring.
- The cake needs to be completely cool before frosting, and I mean room temperature all the way through, not just the surface.
03 -
- Start checking the cake at thirty five minutes because every oven runs differently and a dry banana cake is a tragedy.
- Beat the frosting on medium high speed for at least two full minutes to get the airiness that makes it spread like a dream.