Salted Caramel Brown Butter Banana Cake (Printable)
Decadent banana cake with brown butter, salted caramel layers, and creamy frosting.
# What You'll Need:
→ Brown Butter Banana Cake
01 - 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter
02 - 2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 3-4 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
06 - 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
07 - 1/2 cup (100 g) packed brown sugar
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
10 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
→ Salted Caramel Sauce
11 - 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
12 - 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
13 - 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, cubed
14 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
15 - 1 teaspoon flaked sea salt
→ Caramel Frosting
16 - 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
17 - 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted
18 - 4-5 tablespoons prepared salted caramel sauce (from above)
19 - 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream, as needed for consistency
20 - Pinch of salt
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper.
02 - Melt 3/4 cup unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan frequently until the butter turns golden brown and releases a nutty, toasted aroma, about 5-7 minutes. Immediately pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool slightly.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and cooled brown butter. Stir until thoroughly blended.
05 - Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients using a spatula, mixing just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
06 - Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
07 - While the cakes bake, combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Do not stir — allow the mixture to cook until it turns a deep amber color. Remove from heat and carefully stir in the cubed butter until fully melted. Slowly whisk in the room-temperature heavy cream, expect vigorous bubbling. Stir in the flaked sea salt and let cool to room temperature.
08 - Beat 1/2 cup softened butter with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, beating on low until incorporated. Add 4-5 tablespoons of the prepared salted caramel sauce and 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream, then beat until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
09 - Place the first cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a generous layer of caramel frosting over the top and drizzle with salted caramel sauce. Position the second layer on top. Frost the top and sides of the cake evenly, then drizzle with additional caramel sauce. Finish with a sprinkle of flaked sea salt if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Brown butter transforms ordinary banana cake into something that tastes like it took far more effort than it actually did.
- The salted caramel sauce is liquid gold you will want to put on everything from toast to your morning coffee.
- It looks impressively fancy but the steps are surprisingly manageable for a medium difficulty recipe.
02 -
- When browning butter, the little brown flecks at the bottom of the pan are the best part so scrape every bit into your bowl.
- Caramel sauce will bubble and sputter violently when you add the cream so use a larger saucepan than you think you need and stand back.
- The cake layers need to be completely cool before frosting or everything will slide apart like a culinary avalanche.
03 -
- Make the caramel sauce a day ahead so it has plenty of time to cool and thicken to the perfect consistency.
- The riper your bananas, the more moisture and sweetness they contribute so those nearly black ones on your counter are absolute gold.