Upside down Banana Cake

bananaBaking has not been top of mind these days but I felt compelled to do something with those black bananas staring me in the face.  I went through my old recipes on Gotham Gal and found this one.  It is so good.  The cake is super moist.  A real winner.

2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 bananas ( I actually ended up using 4 – tossing what was left into the batter)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups flour
1 tbsp. baking powder ( sounds like a ridiculous amount but it is correct )
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup milk ( I used 2% but you can use any kind )

You need a round cake pan, and I’d suggest non-stick.  I used a 9″ one.

Put the cake pan on the stove, at a low heat and put in 1 tbsp. of the butter and the brown sugar.  Let this melt and take a spatula and mix together until melted and then spread it evenly over the bottom.  Take off the heat.  Use hot mitts because the pan gets really hot on the stove. I got carried away here and put in too much sugar and butter which is why the bananas sunk into the cake.  Note.

Cut 1/2 bananas into 1/4″ slices.  Place them on the bottom of the cake pan over the brown sugar concoction.  I layered a few of them but got the entire 1 1/2 bananas in there.  Save the other 1/2.

Beat the remaining butter in a mixer with 1 1/2 cups sugar.

Add vanilla and eggs and beat until smooth.  Add in the other 1/2 of the banana (mush it first)

Sift together the flour with the baking powder and salt (or just use a fork to mix it up).  Add this mixture to the bowl alternatively with the milk.  It went back and forth about 3 times.  It is a bit dense when finished.

Spoon this into the cake pan.  Bake at 350 for about an hour.  It gets puffy.  Make sure you insert a toothpick or a long wooden stick in the cake and make sure it comes out smooth before taking it out of the oven.  It might have had to bake a little longer than an hour but I forgot to check.  It seemed longer.

Let it cool for about 20 minutes and flip.

Comments (Archived):

  1. gsilberman

    I am staring at 3 overripe bananas in my fruit bowl.. This might be the inspiration I needed to avoid throwing them away !!! Looks great!!

    1. Gotham Gal

      Go for it

  2. ellensing

    just sell one to me. It is gorgeous.

  3. Brandon Burns

    Given how hot it is outside, you’re a brave soul for even venturing near an oven!