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.
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❤️ 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.
🥘 Ingredients
🔪 Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In a medium bowl, mash the bananas. Add the melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk to the mashed bananas.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the flour mixture and mix with a hand mixer on medium speed until well blended.
- 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
- In a small saucepan over medium high heat, cook the butter until bubbly and the solids begin to brown.
- Pour the melted butter over 2 cups of confectioners' sugar. Add the maple syrup and the 2 tablespoons half and half.
- Adjust with remaining sugar and half and half as needed to make frosting of a spreadable consistency.
- Frost the cooled cake and garnish with toasted whole pecans (if using). Makes 20 servings.
🙋 Recipe FAQ's
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.
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.
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!
🍽 Equipment
🏫 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.
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
Banana Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Best Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze
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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
Equipment
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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.
Patsy K
This looks so perfect for fall! Love it!
Carrie R
This cake looks delicious! You wouldn't even know by looking at that this is a lower sugar version of a sweet treat. 🙂
Margaret
I was going to make banana bread today, but after seeing this recipe I'm going to make this cake instead. It looks delicious!
Jersey Girl Cooks
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.
Curt
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!
Beth Michelle
I love the look of that frosting on that deliciously moist banana cake!!! Looks wonderful
RecipeGirl
This looks absolutely delicious. I'm loving that Brown Butter frosting!!!
Di
I'm not a big banana person, but that frosting sounds fabulous!
claudia @Whats cookin
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
Lisar
I made this cake today and it is as good as it looks.
Barbara Bakes
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.
teresa
such a gorgeous treat!
Bunny
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.
Delishhh
Another great idea for bananas - love it!
vanillasugarblog
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!
Leslie
Yikes....Diabetes is nothing to mess with. The cakes looks delis...anything with browned butter has my name written all over it.
bellini
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.
honeyb
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!
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme
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.
Peter M
Shelby, that looks freakin' yummy...nice & thick to boot!