Brown Butter Banana Caramel (Printable Version)
Moist banana cake layered with brown butter and drizzled with salted caramel for a sweet-salty finish.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Brown Butter Banana Cake
01 - 1 cup unsalted butter
02 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
08 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
09 - 1 1/2 cups ripe mashed bananas (about 3 to 4 bananas)
10 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
11 - 1/2 cup sour cream
→ Salted Caramel Sauce
12 - 1 cup granulated sugar
13 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
14 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
15 - 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
→ Caramel Frosting (optional)
16 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
17 - 2 cups powdered sugar
18 - 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce
19 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk, as needed
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a small saucepan, melt 1 cup unsalted butter over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until butter foams, develops brown flecks, and gives a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
04 - In a large bowl, blend cooled brown butter with granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in mashed bananas and pure vanilla extract.
05 - Fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Add sour cream and gently mix to incorporate.
06 - Transfer batter to prepared pan. Smooth the surface and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
07 - To make caramel, heat 1 cup granulated sugar in a dry saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until melted and amber colored. Carefully whisk in butter until fully melted, then slowly add heavy cream (mixture will bubble). Stir in flaky sea salt and allow to cool to room temperature.
08 - For frosting, beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually blend in powdered sugar and 1/2 cup cooled caramel sauce. Add milk gradually to reach desired spreading consistency.
09 - Once cake is fully cooled, apply caramel frosting or generously drizzle with salted caramel sauce. Decorate with additional sea salt flakes if desired.
# Top Tips:
01 -
- The crackly sea salt and rich caramel make every bite taste gourmet but aren’t hard to pull off at home.
- Its moist crumb and layered flavors make it a real crowd-pleaser–even for those who think they don’t love banana desserts.
02 -
- Trying to rush the cooling time leads to melted frosting and a messy cake – patience really pays off here.
- The moment your caramel turns just slightly darker than honey, take it off the heat – going too far leads to bitterness fast.
03 -
- Use a light-colored pan for the brown butter and caramel so you can see the color shift easily – this prevents burned bits.
- Save a spoonful of caramel to drizzle over individual slices at the last second so each piece looks glossy and extra tempting.