Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Banana cake is so satisfying, light fluffy, and full of banana flavor. Smothered in the most delicious brown butter frosting!

This cake is a great way to use up those overripe bananas. It comes out soft, moist, and delicious every time like my Spiced Rum Cake. Make sure to try My Starbucks Copycat Banana Bread the next time you have extra ripe bananas in the house.

A piece of banana cake being picked up with a metal spatula.

What’s the difference between banana bread and banana cake?

Banana cake is made with butter with the addition of mashed bananas. Banana bread is much denser and perfect to slice warm with a slab of butter.

Can I freeze ripened bananas to use later?

Yes, just put the bananas in a large freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. The peels will turn black in the freezer. Once the bananas are thawed they will contain more liquid once they are mashed. Totally fine they bake up beautifully in this recipe.

How to store leftovers

Store banana cake in an airtight container at room temp for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week.

Four process photos. First one, gugar and butter in a bowl. Secone one, the rest of the wet ingredients placed on top. Third one, dry ingredients placed on top of the mixed wet. Fourth one, chopped walnuts placed on top and ready to be folded into the batter.

Recipe Tips

  • When you measure your flour, spoon it into your measuring cup and then level off with a knife.
  • Overripe bananas make the best banana cake.
  • I used walnuts in this banana cake but pecans are also delicious or leave them out altogether.
Four process photos. First one butter that has been melted and starting to brown in a skillet. Secone one, powdered suger poured into the brown butter. Third one, sugar and brown butter all whisked together. Fourth one, brown butter frosting spread on top of the baked cake.

Brown Butter Frosting is seriously so good you’ll want to lick the pan! It’s super easy to make you just need to do it quickly. The frosting spreads easiest when it’s warm and poured on a warm cake. I always start my frosting just when the cake comes out of the oven.

Cake baked in a pan and frosted with chopped walnuts on top.
A piece of cake being picked up with a metal spatula.
A piece of banana cake on a plate with a fork

Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Banana cake with brown butter frosting is a simple snack cake that everyone loves!
Prep Time10minutes 
Cook Time25minutes 
Total Time1hour  10minutes 
Servings12
Calories495

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 ripe bananas mashed
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup walnuts chopped (plus more for topping)

Brown Butter Frosting

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a 9×13 metal pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl using a hand mixer cream together the sugar and butter until combined. Add in the egg, sour cream, bananas, and vanilla and mix until combined.
  • Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until combined. Using a spatula or spoon fold in the chopped walnuts.
  • Spread batter into the sprayed baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (Start the frosting as soon as the cake comes out of the oven)

For The Frosting

  • Heat a saucepan on medium heat and add the butter. Simmer until butter starts to turn light brown. Remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk.
  • Pour frosting over warm cake and spread with a spatula and sprinkle more chopped walnuts on top.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 495kcalCarbohydrates: 77gProtein: 5gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 349mgFiber: 2gSugar: 57g