Salted Caramel Brown-Butter Banana (Printable)
Moist banana cake with browned butter and salted caramel, finished with sea salt and optional caramel frosting.
# 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 kosher 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 mashed ripe 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, cut into cubes
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
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - Melt 1 cup of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until butter foams and brown flecks form with a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
04 - In a large bowl, blend the cooled brown butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until combined. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
05 - Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Add sour cream and stir just until incorporated.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan. Smooth the surface and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Allow to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
07 - In a dry saucepan over medium heat, cook sugar, stirring constantly, until dissolved and amber in color. Carefully whisk in butter until melted, then slowly add heavy cream, stirring; mixture will bubble. Stir in flaky sea salt and let cool to room temperature.
08 - Using a mixer, beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually introduce powdered sugar and 1/2 cup caramel sauce. Mix in milk, a tablespoon at a time, to achieve desired consistency.
09 - Once cake is completely cool, either frost with caramel frosting or generously drizzle with salted caramel sauce. For garnish, sprinkle additional flaky sea salt if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The salted caramel adds a grown-up twist to classic banana cake that feels like a secret treat.
- The richness of brown butter makes the crumb so tender, you'll be thinking about every bite long after the plates are empty.
02 -
- Add the cream to caramel slowly—my first time, I hurled it in and ended up redecorating my stovetop.
- Letting the cake cool completely is the unsung hero here; a warm cake melts the caramel in all the wrong ways.
03 -
- Try doubling the caramel sauce—it freezes beautifully and rescues any ordinary vanilla ice cream.
- Sprinkle the finished cake with a few more grains of sea salt just before serving; the contrast is pure magic.