🍌 Banana Upside Down Cake

This irresistible Banana Upside Down Cake features caramelized banana slices baked beneath a soft, buttery banana cake. When flipped, the bananas create a glossy brown-sugar topping that soaks into the cake, making every bite rich, moist, and wonderfully fragrant.

It’s an impressive dessert that’s surprisingly simple to make and perfect for brunch, afternoon coffee, holidays, or a cozy family dessert.

⏱ Recipe Information

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 40–50 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8–10
Difficulty: Easy

🛒 Ingredients

🍌 Caramel Banana Topping

⅔ cup (135 g) packed brown sugar
4½ tablespoons (64 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 ripe but firm bananas, sliced into ¼–⅓-inch rounds

🍰 Banana Cake

⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
⅓ cup (80 g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup (about 120 g) mashed ripe banana
About 1 medium banana

Optional

¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons chopped pecans or walnuts
Pinch of flaky sea salt for the caramel topping

Instructions

🔥 1. Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Grease a 9-inch round cake pan thoroughly, paying particular attention to the bottom and sides.

For easier release, line the bottom with a round piece of parchment paper, then lightly grease the parchment.

Because the caramel topping will become very sticky, parchment is highly recommended.

🍯 2. Make the Caramel Banana Topping

Place the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

Cook for approximately 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the sugar begins to dissolve.

Don’t worry if the mixture isn’t completely smooth.

Pour the caramel mixture into the prepared cake pan.

Use a spatula to spread it evenly across the bottom.

🍌 3. Arrange the Bananas

Arrange the banana slices over the caramel in a single layer.

You can overlap them slightly to create a beautiful pattern when the cake is inverted.

Set the pan aside while you prepare the cake batter.

🧈 4. Cream the Butter and Sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together for approximately 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

🍌 5. Add the Wet Ingredients

Beat in the vanilla extract.

Add the Greek yogurt or sour cream and mix until smooth.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir in the mashed banana.

The mixture may look slightly curdled at this stage; that’s completely normal.

🌾 6. Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together:

Flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Cinnamon
Nutmeg, if using

🥣 7. Finish the Batter

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.

Mix on low speed or fold with a spatula just until no visible streaks of flour remain.

Don’t overmix.

The finished batter should be thick and smooth.

🍰 8. Pour Over the Bananas

Carefully spoon the batter over the arranged banana slices.

Spread it gently with a spatula until the surface is even.

Try not to disturb the banana arrangement underneath.

🔥 9. Bake

Place the cake in the preheated oven.

Bake for approximately 40–50 minutes, or until:

The top is golden brown.
The center springs back lightly when touched.
A toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, with a few moist crumbs.

If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil during the final 10–15 minutes.

⏲️ 10. Cool Briefly

Remove the cake from the oven.

Allow it to cool in the pan for approximately 10–15 minutes.

Don’t let it cool completely in the pan—the caramel can harden and make the cake difficult to release.

🔄 11. Invert the Cake

Place a large serving plate upside down over the cake pan.

Holding the plate and pan firmly together, carefully flip them over in one quick motion.

Leave the pan in place for approximately 30 seconds.

Then gently lift the pan away.

If a few banana pieces remain stuck to the pan, simply lift them out with a spatula and place them back on the cake.

✨ 12. Serve

Allow the cake to cool for another 10–15 minutes before slicing.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

For an extra-special finish, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

⭐ Chef’s Tips

Use Ripe but Firm Bananas for the Topping

Very soft bananas can become mushy during baking. Choose bananas that are ripe and sweet but still firm enough to slice cleanly.

Don’t Overmix the Cake

Once the flour is incorporated, stop mixing. Overmixing can make the cake dense.

Don’t Skip the Resting Time

Allowing the cake to cool for 10–15 minutes makes it easier to invert while the caramel is still soft.

Flip While Warm

If you wait too long, the caramel can harden and stick to the pan.

Use a Light-Colored Pan if Possible

A light metal cake pan makes it easier to monitor the baking process.

Place a Baking Sheet Underneath

If you’re concerned about caramel bubbling over, place the cake pan on a rimmed baking sheet before putting it in the oven.

🍌 Easy Variations

🍍 Banana Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Add a few pineapple rings or small pineapple pieces between the banana slices.

🌰 Pecan Banana Cake

Sprinkle ¼ cup chopped pecans over the caramel before arranging the bananas.

🍫 Chocolate Banana

Add ½ cup chocolate chips to the cake batter.

🍁 Maple Banana

Replace 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar in the topping with pure maple syrup.

🧂 Salted Caramel Banana

Add a small pinch of flaky sea salt to the caramel before adding the bananas.

🍂 Banana Spice Cake

Increase the cinnamon to 1 teaspoon and add ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.

🍦 How to Serve It

This cake is especially delicious while slightly warm with:

Vanilla ice cream
Whipped cream
Caramel sauce
Toasted pecans
A drizzle of maple syrup
Cinnamon whipped cream

The combination of warm banana cake + gooey caramel + cold vanilla ice cream is hard to beat.

🧊 Storage

Cover leftover cake tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Because of the fresh bananas and dairy ingredients, keep the cake refrigerated if you’re storing it for more than a few hours.

🔥 Reheating

For a warm slice, microwave for approximately 15–25 seconds.

You can also place slices in a 300°F (150°C) oven for about 8–10 minutes.

Serve immediately after warming.

❄️ Freezing

The cake can be frozen, although the banana topping may become slightly softer after thawing.

Cool completely, then wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container.

Freeze for up to 2 months.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and gently warm before serving.

🍌🍰 Recipe Summary

This Banana Upside Down Cake combines a golden, tender banana cake with a gorgeous topping of caramelized brown sugar, buttery caramel, and sliced bananas.

When you flip it out of the pan, the glossy caramelized bananas become the centerpiece of the dessert, while the rich caramel melts into the cake underneath.

Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream for the ultimate banana-caramel dessert. 🍌🍯🍰