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    Home » Dessert Recipes » Cake Recipes

    Banana Cake with Browned Butter Maple Frosting

    Published: Jan 4, 2012 Last updated: Feb 17, 2022 by Shelby Law Ruttan · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    This is a recipe for the best banana cake that is moist and delicious with the perfect crumb. It is frosted with a browned butter maple frosting. It serves 16 people and is perfect for birthdays and parties.
    Pinnable image for banana cake

    A moist and delicious Banana Cake baked to perfection and then frosted with a Browned Butter Maple Frosting. One bite of this intensely banana flavored cake will have you swooning. This recipe is the best recipe you can make with overripe bananas!


    If you're looking for a new birthday cake to celebrate with, or just looking for a new cake recipe to try, then you have no need to look any further. This moist and delicious cake is baked up in a 9 x 13 cake pan and topped with a sweet and buttery frosting made with browned butter and maple syrup.

    A piece of Banana Cake on a white plate
    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 🙋 Recipe FAQ's
    • 💭 Tips
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🍽 Equipment
    • 🏫 What I've Learned
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storage
    • Related Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ❤️ Why I Love This Recipe

    ✔️ The texture of the banana cake is perfect and the browned butter maple frosting is incredible!
    ✔️ This is one easy moist banana cake recipe that is literally no fail!
    ✔️ It makes a perfect weeknight after dinner dessert.

    Ripe peeled bananas in an orange bowl.

    🥘 Ingredients

    Large eggs 

    All purpose flour

    Granulated sugar

    Baking powder

    Baking soda

    Ground cinnamon

    Ground nutmeg

    Ripe bananas

    Buttermilk

    Pure vanilla extract

    Unsalted butter 

    Powdered sugar

    Pure maple syrup

    Half and half

    Baked cake in blue glass cake pan.

    🔪 Instructions

    For the cake:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    2. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
    3. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas. Add the melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk to the mashed bananas.
    4. Pour the wet ingredients over the flour mixture and mix with a hand mixer on medium speed until well blended.
    5. Pour in a 9x13 glass baking pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

    For The Frosting

    1. In a small saucepan over medium high heat, cook the butter until bubbly and the solids begin to brown.
    2. Pour the melted butter over 2 cups of confectioners' sugar. Add the maple syrup and the 2 tablespoons half and half.
    3. Adjust with remaining sugar and half and half as needed to make frosting of a spreadable consistency.
    4. Frost the cooled cake and garnish with toasted whole pecans (if using). Makes 20 servings.
    Browned Butter Maple Frosting in a blue bowl.

    🙋 Recipe FAQ's

    How do you brown butter?

    Watch the butter carefully and let it bubble. It will begin to show brown bits in the bottom of the pan. You will start to smell the aroma of the nutty buttery goodness. Once it has browned, immediately remove from heat.

    Can this cake be made in 8 or 9-inch round cake pans?

    Yes, divide the cake batter between the round cake pans and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

    Why is my banana cake dense and rubbery?

    It is likely the banana cake batter was gluten in the flour was overworked.

    💭 Tips

    • If you don't have buttermilk, it can be replaced with ½ cup of sour cream and ½ cup of milk.
    • Bake this cake in (2) 9 inch round cake pans or in a large sheet pan. Start checking the cake after 15 minutes with the sheet pan and 20 minutes with the round cake pans.

    📖 Variations

    • For a deeper more caramel flavor in the cake, substitute half of the granulated sugar for brown sugar.
    • Stir ½ cup of mini chocolate chips into the batter for a little hit of chocolate throughout the cake.
    • Skip the frosting entirely and top a slice of cake with homemade whipped cream!
    Spreading the browned butter maple frosting on the cake

    🍽 Equipment

    Mixing bowls

    9 x 13 Baking dish

    Rubber spatula

    Electric hand mixer

    Small saucepan

    Angled Icing Spatula

    🏫 What I've Learned

    The banana flavor in this cake is really intense. The browned butter maple frosting has that delicious nutty flavor with the flecks of browned butter spattered through the frosting.

    The browned butter and maple syrup combination really brings out the best of both flavors. And, that is what makes this cake super special and so incredibly tasty!

    It is really important to pay attention to the cake as it is baking. Don't open the oven door too often as it allows heat to escape and slows down the baking process. Make sure that it passes the toothpick test before removing it from the oven.

    Banana Cake with Maple Frosting decorated with pecans in a blue cake pan.

    Serving Suggestions

    Serve Banana Cake with Maple Frosting with a glass of milk, or a cup of hot coffee, tea or a scoop of Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.

    Storage

    This banana cake can be stored in an airtight container up to 5 days at room temperature and up to 3 months in the freezer.

    Related Recipes

    Classic Banana Bread

    Banana Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Banana Pudding Poke Cake

    Browned Butter Banana Muffins

    Best Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

    A slice of banana cake with browned butter maple frosting on a white plate

    Don't forget to check out my Amazon storefront for some of my favorite products!

    When you make this recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!

    If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating

    📖 Recipe

    Banana Cake with Browned Butter Maple Frosting

    Shelby Law Ruttan
    This is a recipe for the best banana cake that is moist and delicious with the perfect crumb. It is frosted with a browned butter maple frosting. It serves 16 people and is perfect for birthdays and parties.
    4.45 from 9 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Go to Collections
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Desserts
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16
    Calories 321 kcal

    Equipment

    • mixing bowls
    • 9 x 13 Baking dish
    • rubber spatula
    • Electric hand mixer
    • Small saucepan
    • Angled Icing Spatula

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Ingredients
      

    For the Cake

    • 2 large eggs room temperature
    • 2¼ cups flour
    • 1½ cup granulated sugar
    • ½ tablespoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 3 medium bananas , mashed
    • ¾ cup buttermilk
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • ½ cup unsalted butter melted

    For the Browned Butter Maple Frosting

    • 2½ cups powdered sugar
    • 4 tablespoon butter browned
    • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
    • 2½ tablespoon half and half

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
    • In a medium, bowl mash bananas, add melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk.
    • Pour liquid over flour mixture and mix with a hand mixer until well blended.
    • Pour in a 9x13 glass baking pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely.

    For The Frosting

    • Brown the butter in a heavy saucepan. Over medium-high heat, melt butter.
    • Watch the butter carefully and let it bubble. It will begin to show brown bits in the bottom of the pan. You will start to smell the aroma of the nutty buttery goodness.
    • Once it has browned, immediately remove from heat. Pour butter over 2 cups of confectioner's sugar. Add maple syrup and the lesser amount of half and half.
    • Adjust with remaining sugar and half and half as needed to make frosting of a spreadable consistency. Frost cooled cake. Garnish with toasted whole pecans. Makes 20 servings.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 321kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 279mgPotassium: 103mgFiber: 1gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 335IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword Banana Cake, Banana Caked with Maple Frosting, Banana Sheet Cake with Brown Butter Frosting, Brown Butter Maple Frosting
    Tried this recipe?Mention @grumpyshoneybunch or tag #grumpyshoneybunch!

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    About Shelby Law Ruttan

    Shelby is the author/owner of Grumpy's Honeybunch. Established in 2007, she shares and preserves family recipes as well as recipes for cooking light and keto. She has authored the One-Pot Paleo Cookbook and The Pescatarian Keto Cookbook. She is an experienced, self-taught home cook who loves to share recipes with others. She also authors the websites Honeybunch Hunts and The Best Vegetarian Recipes. You can see her work on websites such as Veal Made Easy, Parade, Community Table, SoFab Food, Yummly, and FoodGawker.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Patsy K

      September 08, 2014 at 9:13 pm

      This looks so perfect for fall! Love it!

      Reply
    2. Carrie R

      September 08, 2014 at 5:32 pm

      This cake looks delicious! You wouldn't even know by looking at that this is a lower sugar version of a sweet treat. 🙂

      Reply
    3. Margaret

      March 11, 2014 at 6:18 pm

      I was going to make banana bread today, but after seeing this recipe I'm going to make this cake instead. It looks delicious!

      Reply
    4. Jersey Girl Cooks

      January 15, 2012 at 10:26 pm

      Sorry to hear about Grumpy. Watching his diet will make all the difference. Love this cake and it is great that the sugar is lowered. My next door neighbor has diabetes and this will be a good cake to make when they come over.

      Reply
    5. Curt

      January 14, 2012 at 12:39 pm

      Sorry to hear about Grumpy being diagnosed diabetic. It's a good thing he has people who love him to take good care of him.

      Nice banana cake recipe! That should be a great start!

      Reply
    6. Beth Michelle

      January 13, 2012 at 1:28 pm

      I love the look of that frosting on that deliciously moist banana cake!!! Looks wonderful

      Reply
    7. RecipeGirl

      January 12, 2012 at 3:45 am

      This looks absolutely delicious. I'm loving that Brown Butter frosting!!!

      Reply
    8. Di

      January 08, 2012 at 7:12 pm

      I'm not a big banana person, but that frosting sounds fabulous!

      Reply
    9. claudia @Whats cookin

      January 07, 2012 at 3:57 pm

      So sorry to hear about Grumpy. Hard to get use to, when mom found out, it was impossible for her not to cheat, she would even hide cookies. Then I learned how to use splenda as you have then went to Stevia much better.I only adapted her most favorite which were biscotti and apple pie. Came out great no issue whatsoever in the texture, however getting her to eat smaller portions was impossible. The good news is she controled it by diet the rest of her life just fine.. I wish you both all the best in this new way to cook, it will be beneficial for you both in the long run! Happy New Year and happy new beginning of healthy cooking... let me know if there is anything i can do to help anytime.. xo Claudia

      Reply
    10. Lisar

      January 07, 2012 at 12:24 am

      I made this cake today and it is as good as it looks.

      Reply
    11. Barbara Bakes

      January 06, 2012 at 1:24 pm

      Sorry he's got diabetes, but I know you're up to the challenge and I'll look forward to all the great recipes you'll come up with in the new year. This cake looks like a fabulous start.

      Reply
    12. teresa

      January 06, 2012 at 12:46 am

      such a gorgeous treat!

      Reply
    13. Bunny

      January 05, 2012 at 10:29 pm

      The cake looks yummy! Most of the women in my family are diabetics, Im not but my sisters and mother are and so was my grandmother.

      Reply
    14. Delishhh

      January 05, 2012 at 6:17 pm

      Another great idea for bananas - love it!

      Reply
    15. vanillasugarblog

      January 04, 2012 at 4:35 pm

      Shelby that looks so damn good girl!
      Look at the bright side of the diabetes--it's so very treatable with diet. I've seen so many people literally get rid of diabetes just with diet alone!

      Reply
    16. Leslie

      January 04, 2012 at 3:16 pm

      Yikes....Diabetes is nothing to mess with. The cakes looks delis...anything with browned butter has my name written all over it.

      Reply
    17. bellini

      January 04, 2012 at 1:06 pm

      Diabetes does create a bit more of a challenge but is easily managed. Looks like you are on the right track Shelby for the new year for both of you. Glad you enjoyed your cruise, although I can't imagine not being able to have all that was spread before me...wink.

      Reply
    18. honeyb

      January 04, 2012 at 12:26 pm

      It does look delish! You can get whole wheat pastry flour from a website called http://www.honeyvillegrain.com (I got a 50 lb. bag from them!)--no matter how much you order, even by weight, shipping is always $4.49! (Just thought I'd pass that on, I have a hard time finding things like that around here.)
      I will be trying this cake!

      Reply
    19. Lana @ Never Enough Thyme

      January 04, 2012 at 12:25 pm

      Oh, wow, this cake sounds so delicious! Love the combination of flavors you used. I think it would be perfect with a nice hot cup of coffee.

      Reply
    20. Peter M

      January 04, 2012 at 11:35 am

      Shelby, that looks freakin' yummy...nice & thick to boot!

      Reply
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    Welcome! I'm Shelby Law Ruttan, I'm a mom, grandmother, and cookbook author for HoneyB's Kitchen who started blogging family recipes in 2007 for.... 

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