Description

Banana Upside Down Cake transforms ripe bananas into a moist, rich dessert, featuring a sweet caramelized banana topping over a soft, tender cake. This recipe uses both all-purpose and whole wheat flour for flavor and texture, with Greek yogurt or sour cream adding extra moisture. Finished with a luscious brown sugar glaze, it’s an impressive yet approachable treat—perfect for gatherings or family desserts.

Ingredients

2/3 cup packed brown sugar
4.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 bananas, sliced into 1/4-1/3 inch rounds
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
2 large eggs
2 overripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Dash of salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar (for glaze)
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8x2 inch square cake pan.
Spread 2/3 cup brown sugar on the pan bottom and scatter the 4.5 tbsp butter pieces over it. Bake for 5-7 minutes until melted.
Remove the pan; stir the mixture, then arrange banana slices over the bottom.
In a bowl, whisk all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
In a separate bowl, cream 1/3 cup softened butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, yogurt (or sour cream), and mashed bananas; mix well.
Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Pour the batter evenly over the banana slices in the pan.
Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 325°F and bake 25-35 minutes more, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool cake completely before inverting onto a serving dish.
For the glaze: combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 4 tbsp butter, and 1/4 tsp salt in a saucepan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Pour the glaze over the inverted cake before serving.

Notes

You can substitute sour cream for Greek yogurt, and use all all-purpose flour if whole wheat is unavailable. Store leftover cake, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days; best served within 24 hours for optimal texture. If the cake sticks to the pan when inverting, run a knife around the edge and reheat slightly. Overmixing can make the cake dense—mix just until combined.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American