Brown Butter Banana Cake (Printable)
Moist banana cake with nutty brown butter, topped with thick cream cheese frosting for a decadent treat.
# 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 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 (1 package) 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
# Directions:
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 - Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously as it foams and watch for golden brown specks to form at the bottom and a nutty aroma to develop, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat immediately and let cool slightly.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the browned butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat until smooth and well incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract, mashed bananas, sour cream, and whole milk until fully blended.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined — avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with no wet batter.
07 - Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. Do not frost while warm or the frosting will melt.
08 - Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together using a hand mixer or stand mixer until creamy and lump-free. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Continue beating on medium-high speed until the frosting is thick, fluffy, and spreadable.
09 - Spread the frosting generously and evenly over the completely cooled cake. For cleaner slices, chill the frosted cake in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes before cutting into squares.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The brown butter adds a toasted, caramel like depth that regular butter simply cannot touch.
- That cream cheese frosting is thick enough to stand a fork in, and it balances the sweetness perfectly.
02 -
- Watch the butter like a hawk while browning, because the window between nutty perfection and a black, bitter mess is roughly ten seconds.
- Cooling the cake fully before frosting is the difference between a gorgeous layered finish and a runny disaster you will want to photograph from far away.
03 -
- Use bananas that are so ripe they would embarrass you at a grocery store, because their natural sweetness and softness are what make this cake incredibly moist without needing extra oil.
- Beat the frosting on medium high speed for at least three minutes to whip in air, which makes it lighter and easier to spread without tearing the cake surface.