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 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 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 the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously as it foams and develops a golden brown color with a 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.
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.
05 - Stir the vanilla extract, mashed bananas, sour cream, and whole milk into the wet mixture until smooth and homogeneous.
06 - Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
07 - Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.
08 - Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool completely in the pan before frosting.
09 - Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until creamy and smooth. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, continuing to beat until the frosting is thick and fluffy.
10 - Spread the frosting generously over the cooled cake in an even layer. Chill briefly for easier slicing if desired, then cut into squares and serve.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Brown butter transforms ordinary banana cake into something deeply nutty and complex without any extra effort.
- The cream cheese frosting is thick enough to stand up on a spoon and tangy enough to balance the sweetness perfectly.
02 -
- If the browned butter is still hot when you add the sugars, it can melt the sugars unevenly and create a greasy texture, so give it about ten minutes to cool.
- Overmixing after adding the flour produces a tough, rubbery crumb that no amount of frosting can hide.
03 -
- Freeze overripe bananas whole in their skins, then thaw them overnight in a bowl, and the liquid that leaks out is pure banana essence you can pour straight into the batter.
- For the cleanest frosting swoops, dip your offset spatula in hot water and shake off the excess between strokes.