Banana Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Discover the ultimate banana cake crowned with luscious brown butter cream cheese frosting. It's a rich, moist dessert that transforms overripe bananas into a bakery-quality treat perfect for any occasion.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS BANANA CAKE RECIPE

This Banana Cake Recipe delivers the best of both worlds: a dense yet fluffy cake with a rich banana flavor, topped with a nutty, smooth frosting. With easy-to-follow steps and a stunning result, it’s bound to become your new favorite Banana Cake recipe with Brown Butter Frosting! 

INGREDIENTS FOR THIS BANANA CAKE RECIPE

Each ingredient in this Banana Cake Recipe has a purpose, adding to its rich, soft texture and flavor that shines in every bite.

• Butter: Adds rich flavor and moisture while the browning process brings a warm, nutty complexity to both the cake and frosting.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall sweetness, adding an aromatic undertone that pairs beautifully with banana.
• Brown Sugar: Adds depth with its molasses content, boosting moisture and flavor.
• White Sugar: Sweetens and balances the richness of the bananas and brown butter.
• Bananas: Provides natural sweetness and moisture, creating the cake's signature soft texture.
• Eggs: Bind the ingredients, helping the cake rise while adding a delicate richness.
• Milk and Lemon Juice: Curdled together to mimic buttermilk, making the cake tender and light.
• All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the cake, giving it the perfect density to hold up the creamy frosting.
• Baking Soda: Leavens the cake, working with the acidic buttermilk substitute for a soft rise.
• Cinnamon and Nutmeg: Bring warmth and a subtle spice that complements the sweetness of banana.
• Cream Cheese: Creates the frosting's creamy base with a tang that balances the brown butter’s sweetness.
• Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the frosting while contributing a light, fluffy texture.
• Salt: A touch of salt balances flavors in both the cake and frosting, enhancing sweetness and nuttiness.

HOW TO MAKE BANANA CAKE WITH BROWN BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Follow these steps to create the most delicious Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting. The result? A perfect Banana Cake recipe with a smooth, slightly tangy brown butter frosting.

Banana Cake Recipe Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) pan or two 8x8-inch (20x20 cm) pans.
2. Brown the Butter: In a saucepan, melt 1 ½ cups (340g) of butter over medium heat. Stir as it froths, becoming golden with brown specks at the bottom. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Measure ¾ cup (145g) of the browned butter for the cake, as browned butter loses about 10% of its volume.
3. Prepare Buttermilk Substitute: Combine milk and lemon juice in a measuring cup. Let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle (or use 1 ½ cups/345ml of buttermilk).
4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
5. Combine Wet Ingredients: Mash the bananas with a fork in a large mixing bowl, then add the brown sugar, white sugar, and eggs. Mix until smooth.
6. Incorporate Butter and Milk: Stir the vanilla into the cooled brown butter. Drizzle it into the banana mixture while mixing. Then, drizzle in the curdled milk and mix until well combined.
7. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until smooth.
8. Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s). Place in the oven, then immediately lower the temperature to 300°F (149°C). Bake for 60-70 minutes (for a 9x13-inch pan) or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

Baking Times:

9x13-inch pan: 45-55 minutes at 350°F (180°C) or 60-70 minutes at 300°F (149°C)

Two 8x8-inch pans: about 35 minutes at 350°F (180°C)

Tip: Baking at 300°F (149°C) encourages a flat, even surface on your cake, while 350°F (180°C) results in a quicker bake with a slightly domed top.

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Instructions

1. In a large bowl, cream the cooled brown butter with the room-temperature cream cheese until fluffy. Stir in the vanilla and salt.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing a bit at a time until you reach a spreadable consistency.
3. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Serve and enjoy!

MORE CAKE RECIPES AWAIT YOU!

• Orange Cream Cheese Pound Cake
• Chocolate Zucchini Cake
• Dramatic Burnt Honey Carrot Cake

Equipment for Banana Cake Recipe

• Saucepan: To brown the butter.
• Kitchen Scale: For weighing ingredients like butter, sugar, flour, banana, milks to ensure precise measurements and consistent results.
• Measuring Spoons and Cups: Measuring spoons are great for spices, leavenings, and salt. When a kitchen scale is not available, use measuring cups for all other ingredients. 
• Mixing Bowls: One large bowl for wet ingredients and another medium bowl for dry ingredients.
• Whisk: To mix dry ingredients and ensure even distribution of spices and leavening agents.
• Fork: For mashing the bananas.
• Spatula: To combine the wet and dry ingredients.
• Hand or Stand Mixer (Optional): For mixing the frosting and ensuring a smooth consistency.
• Baking Pan(s): Either a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) pan or two 8x8-inch (20x20 cm) pans.
• Parchment Paper (Optional): To line the baking pans for easier removal of the cake.
• Cooling Rack: To allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
• Toothpick or Cake Tester: To check for doneness.

Historical Fun Facts

Banana bread recipes emerged in cookbooks across North America when baking powder became available in grocery stores in the 1930s. Some food historians believe banana bread was a byproduct of the Great Depression as resourceful housewives did not wish to throw away overripe bananas.

Print Pin

Banana Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Discover the ultimate banana cake crowned with luscious brown butter cream cheese frosting. It's a rich, moist dessert that transforms overripe bananas into a bakery-quality treat perfect for any occasion.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Banana Cake, Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings 15

Calories 541kcal

Ingredients

For The Banana Cake

• ¾ cup butter (145g), browned
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (12ml)
• ½ cup brown sugar (112g),packed
• 1 cup white sugar (200g)
• 1 ¾ cups bananas ( 390g), about 4 overripe bananas, mashed
• 3 large eggs (150g)
• 1 ¼ cups milk (305ml)
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice (28ml) or 1 ½ cups buttermilk (345ml)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda (6.3g)
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt (1.5g)

For The Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

• 12 oz cream cheese (340g), at room temperature
• ½ cup unsalted butter (113g), browned and cooled
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract (10ml)
• 3 ½ to 4 cups powdered sugar (395-450g)
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Banana Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) pan or two 8x8-inch (20x20 cm) pans.
• Brown the Butter: In a saucepan, melt 1 ½ cups (340g) of butter over medium heat. Stir as it froths, becoming golden with brown specks at the bottom. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Measure ¾ cup (145g) of the browned butter for the cake, as browned butter loses about 10% of its volume.
• Prepare Buttermilk Substitute: Combine milk and lemon juice in a measuring cup. Let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle (or use 1 ½ cups/345ml of buttermilk).
• Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
• Combine Wet Ingredients: Mash the bananas with a fork in a large mixing bowl, then add the brown sugar, white sugar, and eggs. Mix until smooth.
• Incorporate Butter and Milk: Stir the vanilla into the cooled brown butter. Drizzle it into the banana mixture while mixing. Then, drizzle in the curdled milk and mix until well combined.
• Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until smooth.
• Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s). Place in the oven, then immediately lower the temperature to 300°F (149°C). Bake for 60-70 minutes (for a 9x13-inch pan) or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

Baking Times

• 9x13-inch pan: 45-55 minutes at 350°F (180°C) or 60-70 minutes at 300°F (149°C)
• Two 8x8-inch pans: about 35 minutes at 350°F (180°C)
• Tip: Baking at 300°F (149°C) encourages a flat, even surface on your cake, while 350°F (180°C) results in a quicker bake with a slightly domed top.

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

• In a large bowl, cream the cooled brown butter with the room-temperature cream cheese until fluffy. Stir in the vanilla and salt.
• Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing a bit at a time until you reach a spreadable consistency.
• Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Oven Variance: Every oven is different! Always check the cake 10 minutes early using the toothpick test, and continue baking until the toothpick comes out clean. Baking time may vary by 20-30 minutes depending on your oven and altitude.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 396mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 876IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg