This Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting is unbelievably moist and bursting with real banana flavor! It’s an incredible dessert experience like no other.

Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting by The BakerMama

The Best Banana Cake

One bite into this Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting and you’ll fall head over heels in love. It’s everything a great banana cake should be–and more! The nutty sweetness of the frosting combined with the banana and spice flavors of the cake makes for a dessert experience like no other.

Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting by The BakerMama

A Statement Cake

To say that this cake is the BEST banana cake EVER is no overstatement. The cake itself is perfectly soft and moist and bursting with real banana flavor. And the frosting! The frosting is made with browned butter. YES, brown butter!

Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting by The BakerMama

How to Satisfy a Cake Craving

This cake came to life on a random weekday when I had several ripe bananas begging to be baked with. I was craving cake.

I love that I baked this cake for the first time just to bake and satisfy my cake craving. No special occasion, no crowd to entertain, no party to take it to. Just a beautifully delicious banana cake sitting on a cake stand on the kitchen counter.

It made me smile just looking at it, filled me with pride over how delicious it turned out and got me all giddy at the thought of getting to bake it again and again.

Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting by The BakerMama

A New Family Tradition

I’m excited for it to be a family favorite for years to come. A go-to cake I bake. A tradition, whether it be for someone’s birthday or just a Sunday supper sweet. A recipe I pass down to the kids that they pass down to theirs. Served with love and confidence that it’s the best.

Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting by The BakerMama

All About Brown Butter Frosting

Let’s take a moment and talk about that brown butter frosting, though. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, once you brown that butter, there’s no going back. It makes un-browned butter so boring. Browned butter just makes everything better. Especially this frosting.

That nutty, toasted, caramelized flavor it adds to the frosting takes this cake to the next level of deliciousness.

As you can tell, I’m crazy about this banana cake and I want you to bake it so you can taste for yourself. A cake that will guarantee that mmmm…mmmm response each time you take a bite.

Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting by The BakerMama

The Basics: How to Brown Butter

Need a refresher on how to brown butter? In Basics by The BakerMama, I show you how to Brown Butter with simple techniques that take the mystery out of getting golden, frothy flavorful butter.

With a caramel-like aroma and a nutty, savory flavor, it adds an extra layer of deliciousness to your favorite baking and cooking recipes.

How to Brown Butter by The BakerMama

What Do I Need to Make Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting?

  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking soda
  • Kosher salt
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Unsalted butter, softened
  • Dark brown sugar
  • Large eggs
  • Vanilla extract
  • Whole milk
  • Mashed ripe banana
  • Powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
  • Two 8-inch round cake pans
  • Parchment paper
Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting by The BakerMama

How to Make Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of two 8-inch round cake pans with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit. Lightly grease and flour both cake pans and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until each one is well combined. Mix in the vanilla.
Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting by The BakerMama
  • With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk, ending with the flour mixture, until well combined and batter is smooth.
  • Stir in the mashed banana with a spatula until well distributed throughout the batter.
  • Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans.
  • Bake cakes for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean.
  • Let cakes cool in pans for 15 minutes before running a sharp knife around the edges and turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting by The BakerMama
  • To brown the butter for the frosting, place 1/2 cup butter in a light-colored pan over medium heat and whisk constantly as it melts. The butter will start to bubble and foam and then subside as the water evaporates and the milk solids start to turn a light brown color. Just as it starts to turn light brown and you smell that nutty aroma, remove it from the heat to let cool for about 15 minutes. (Once the butter starts to brown, it will race into burnt, so watch it carefully and remove from the heat as soon as it starts to brown.)
  • Transfer the browned butter to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
  • Add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, beating on low speed, until well combined. Add 1 tablespoon milk at a time and beat on medium-high speed until frosting is fluffy and of spreading consistency.
  • Add additional milk if the frosting is too thick or additional powdered sugar if the frosting is too thin to spread.
  • Spread a small amount of frosting on the bottom of a cake stand or cake plate. Place one cake layer, top side up, on the cake stand. Spread with a generous layer of frosting.
  • Top with the other cake layer and spread the remaining frosting on top of and all around the sides of the layered cakes.
  • If desired, garnish the top of the cake with some banana slices that have been caramelized for 1-2 minutes on each side in the same pan that the butter was browned in.
Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting by The BakerMama

How to Store Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

To store leftover cake, cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for one day. Then store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

To freeze, first remove the garnish. Then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then store in an airtight freezer safe container  or freezer-safe baggie. Banana Cake should freeze beautifully for up to two months.

Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting by The BakerMama

If you make this Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting and post a pic to social, be sure to tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see! 😍 I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!

xoxo,

Maegan's signature
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting by The BakerMama

Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: The BakerMama
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 55 mins
  • Yield: 15
  • Category: Dessert

Description

This Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting is unbelievably moist and bursting with real banana flavor! It’s an incredible dessert experience like no other.


Ingredients

Banana Cake:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 11/2 cups mashed banana

Brown Butter Frosting:

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, browned & cooled
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 34 tablespoons whole milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of two 8-inch round cake pans with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit. Lightly grease and flour both cake pans and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until each one is well combined. Mix in the vanilla.
  4. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk, ending with the flour mixture, until well combined and batter is smooth. Stir in the mashed banana with a spatula until well distributed throughout the batter.
  5. Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans. Bake cakes for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans for 15 minutes before running a sharp knife around the edges and turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.
  6. To brown the butter for the frosting, place 1/2 cup butter in a light-colored pan over medium heat and whisk constantly as it melts. The butter will start to bubble and foam and then subside as the water evaporates and the milk solids start to turn a light brown color. Just as it starts to turn light brown and you smell that nutty aroma, remove it from the heat to let cool for about 15 minutes. (Once the butter starts to brown, it will race into burnt, so watch it carefully and remove from the heat as soon as it starts to brown.)
  7. Transfer the browned butter to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, beating on low speed, until well combined. Add 1 tablespoon milk at a time and beat on medium-high speed until frosting is fluffy and of spreading consistency. Add additional milk if the frosting is too thick or additional powdered sugar if the frosting is too thin to spread.
  8. Spread a small amount of frosting on the bottom of a cake stand or cake plate. Place one cake layer, top side up, on the cake stand. Spread with a generous layer of frosting. Top with the other cake layer and spread the remaining frosting on top of and all around the sides of the layered cakes.
  9. If desired, garnish the top of the cake with some banana slices that have been caramelized for 1-2 minutes on each side in the same pan that the butter was browned in.

About The BakerMama

Maegan is the author of her best-selling Beautiful Boards, Spectacular Spreads and Brilliant Bites cookbooks. She started blogging in 2012 and features hundreds of original recipes on The BakerMama. She truly enjoys sharing her easy, family-friendly recipes, creative meal ideas, food board creations, and entertaining spreads to encourage others to get in the kitchen and make something memorable for their loved ones to enjoy together. Learn More

Follow us on social media:

Related

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Comments

    1. Hi Valerie! It’s so delicious! Yes, it will bake great in a bundt pan but will take about 15 minutes longer to bake and will be slightly denser. If the top of the cake is browned but the inside is not baked all the way through, just tent the bundt pan with foil and let it continue baking until a cake tester inserted in the cake comes out clean. Hope this helps Enjoy!

  1. Can the cake be baked ahead of serving (like by one or two days?) I have baked it once already and you are right- this is an amazing recipe! Many thanks for sharing it!

    1. Hi Sherry! Of course! It actually tastes even better in the days that follow. Just wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to frost. Enjoy! 🙂

  2. This sounds delicious! I love banana bread so can only this cake is awesome! And you can’t go wrong with brown butter frosting 🙂

    1. Hi Danielle! It is one of my favorite cakes to bake these days. You just can’t go wrong with brown butter! 🙂