This show-stopping perfectly spiced Banana Upside Down Cake is full of so much delicious flavor! The magic of the upside-down method is that when you flip it, you're met with a glorious gooey caramelized banana topping that's pure bliss.
Meet banana upside down cake. The pineapple upside down cake's (delicious) step sister. This cake is absolute heaven. The brown sugar and butter on top caramelize beautifully while baking creating a gooey coating that is to die for! The bananas also caramelize making them deliciously sweet. If I had to choose my top favorite desserts, this one would be on the list. The cake baked up super moist with a yummy punch of banana flavor.
In the mood for more cake? Try my glazed banana bundt cake recipe. How about banana bread? My banana nut bread or banana chocolate chip bread are both delicious.
Why you'll love this recipe
- The moment you flip the cake over is pure excitement revealing the gooey topping!
- FLAVOR! There SO much amazing flavor going on in this upside down banana cake. If you love bananas, this is for YOU!
- This cake has turned even banana haters into having seconds!
Ingredients
Topping
- Light brown sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Bananas: 2-3 bananas sliced into ¼" rounds
Banana Cake
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Mashed banana: You will need 1 cup of mashed banana for this recipe. About 2 medium sized bananas.
- Buttermilk: To make your own: Stir in 1 teaspoon of white distilled vinegar or fresh lemon juice to the milk. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until thickened.
- Vanilla
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs
Substitutions & VAriations
- Add-ins: Add chopped walnuts to the batter.
Storage
Store upside down banana cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing instructions
Wrap cooled cake in a layer of plastic wrap and place in a resealable, freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
More banana recipes you'll love
Did you make this recipe?
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📋 Recipe
Banana Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
Topping (Bottom of the Pan)
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 6 tbs unsalted butter melted
- 2-3 bananas sliced into ¼" rounds (or more depending on how you arrange them)
Cake
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup mashed banana about 2 medium sized bananas
- ½ cup buttermilk see recipe notes to make your own
- 1 tbs vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9" round baking pan very well, set aside.
- Combine melted butter and brown sugar. Press mixture into bottom of the pan. Arrange banana rounds on top of brown sugar mixture. (This will ultimately be the top of your cake.)
- In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and whisk very well for one minute. Add in the wet ingredients and stir until completely combined and no lumps remain. Don't over mix. Pour cake mixture into prepared pan on top of bananas. It will fill almost to the top of the pan.
- RECIPE EDITED TO ADD: Based on reader's reviews, it seems some have had the batter spill over while baking, and some have had great success. To prevent this, simply place the cake pan on a baking sheet when it goes into the oven to catch anything that spills over.
- Bake for 42-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let cake cool for only 5 minutes in pan then turn out on a large plate or platter. (If you wait too long, the caramelized brown sugar will stick to the pan!)
Notes
Nutrition
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Rebecca says
OMG this cake is amazing!!!! It turned out perfect my Mum and Dad said the best banana cake they have ever tasted. Winner will be making again. Thanks for sharing your recipe x
Jessica says
Thanks so much, Rebecca! So glad everyone enjoyed it.
Sheela Jayaraj says
I am going to bake this tomorrow to take to my 83 yro banana loving dad. Just wanted to inquire will tbe unmoulding be easy?Thanks
Jessica says
Sorry for the late response! Yes, that is the best part! As long as you grease the pan very well before, you will have no issues. 🙂 I hope your dad loved the cake if you made it already!
Patti says
HUGE success! The cake was moist, but not gummy like bread pudding, and not on the dry side like banana bread, either. Nice and fluffy with a delectable banana flavor. My husband and my son (and I) loved it. I used a 10" pan to prevent dripping and it worked wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Next time, cherries alongside the bananas.
Jessica says
Awesome! Cherries sound like a relish addition!
Donna says
I made this cake twice already and I have to say it is the most delicious thing I've ever eaten. Yes, it did bubble over both times, but I placed some foil underneath the pan so clean-up was a snap.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!!
Jessica says
Awesome! I'm not sure why that happens to some and not others.. Glad you remedied it though. 🙂
Wendy says
This is one of the yummiest cakes I have ever eaten!
Jessica says
Thanks Wendy!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Osi says
Hi! Going to try this recipe. I just noticed that in your recipe you are not cooking the butter and sugar, wouldn't that result in granular sugary sauce on top? Thanks so much
Jessica says
Nope! It melts/caramelizes as it bakes. Enjoy! 🙂
Reine says
I’ve been reading all the comments which I love but must share a story. My mother use to make an easy version in a deep round pan using a yellow cake mix which she would pour over the butter, brown sugar & banana base. I then made it for my kids and now grandkids.’
Jessica says
Sounds yummy!
Evelyn says
I had some bananas at home that were going bad and didn't want them to go to waste. As I was doing research on recipes, I came across this one and gave it a try. All I can say is... OMG! I followed the exact recipe with the exception of the buttermilk. I didn't have any so I used whole milk instead. My family absolutely loved it! Thank you 🙂
Cindy O says
This cake baked perfectly in a 10" round cake pan. I used greased parchment on the bottom which helped turn out the cake. I also added 1 tsp. of cinnamon and 1/4 tsp cloves to the batter because I cannot imagine banana without those spices.
Jessica says
Awesome!! Love the added spices.
Becky says
Hey! I wanted to make mini versions of this (I use a heart shaped cupcake tin) and I was wondering if you think that would work ok and how I should adjust cooking time/temp?
Thanks!
Lanae Kline says
I have made this cake once before and it is soooo good! I am wondering if I could double it and bake it in a 9x13 pan??
Jessica says
Hmm, I'm unsure. It might be a little difficult to flip it but if you give it a try, I'd love to hear how it comes out!