Banana Foster Upside Down Cake (Printable)
Caramelized banana topping over a moist, buttery cake with warm rum and cinnamon—serve slightly warm with ice cream.
# What You'll Need:
→ Caramel Banana Topping
01 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter
02 - 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
03 - 2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
04 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - 3 to 4 ripe bananas, sliced lengthwise
→ Cake Batter
06 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
11 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
14 - 1/4 cup whole milk
# Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the base with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/2 cup butter. Stir in brown sugar and cook until fully combined and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in dark rum (if using) and ground cinnamon.
03 - Pour the caramel mixture into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly over the bottom. Arrange the sliced bananas, cut side down, in a single layer over the caramel.
04 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate large bowl, cream 1/2 cup softened butter with granulated sugar using an electric mixer or whisk until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract.
05 - Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture in three parts, alternating with sour cream and whole milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
06 - Gently spread the batter over the arranged bananas and caramel. Smooth the top with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 38 to 42 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, then carefully invert onto a serving platter. Remove the parchment and let the cake cool slightly before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Caramelized bananas melt into a buttery, golden crown that tastes like restaurant dessert but feels homemade.
- I never expected it would turn any regular evening into an occasion people actually talk about later.
02 -
- If the cake cools too long in the pan, the caramel can glue itself down—ten minutes is just right.
- Using very ripe bananas transformed the flavor—once I tried it with firm ones and it just wasn't as luscious.
03 -
- Never rush the caramel or it can scorch—slow and steady gets the richest flavor.
- A parchment-lined pan means painless unmolding even when caramel tries to stick.