Brown Butter Banana Coffee Cake

Published: Jan 22, 2024 · Modified: Sep 11, 2024 by christina.marsigliese · 58 Comments

This Brown Butter Banana Coffee Cake is so extremely soft and moist and FULL of flavor - it has become one of my favorite cakes! It is so quick and easy to make with a lush texture and rich flavor from brown butter and brown sugar. There is a cinnamon and brown sugar cocoa swirl through the middle and a buttery brown sugar crumb topping with vanilla glaze. It is absolutely unbelievable and I just can't stop eating it! This recipe is a delicious way to use up over-ripe bananas when you are tired banana bread, or you just want to do something different. But, if you also just want a great banana bread recipe, check out my Classic Banana Bread and my Best Moist Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

Easy to make - this recipe comes together quickly and uses basic pantry ingredients that you likely have on hand already.
Super moist banana coffee cake - the cake is SUPER moist and has such a soft texture. It stays moist for days in an airtight container.
Perfectly sweet - the combination of bananas and brown sugar adds the perfect amount of sweetness and then brown butter helps to temper it by adding an element of savory.
Brown butter cake - the brown butter makes this recipe! It really elevates this cake.
Cinnamon sugar swirl - there a thick, slightly gooey cinnamon brown sugar swirl through the middle, and the secret ingredient is a bit of cocoa powder to give it more flavor, a deeper color and to help it set in place.
Vanilla glaze - this is optional, but I promise it is so worth it! It gives the topping a melting quality.

INGREDIENTS

All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour works great for a moist banana breads and coffee cakes. Do not pack it down when measuring or use a scale to get the right amount.
Baking powder - you'll need equal amounts of baking powder and baking soda to help this batter rise.
Baking soda - baking soda gives this cake golden crumb color and also reacts with the sour cream to help leaven the batter.
Cinnamon - there's a thick cinnamon swirl running right between two layers of batter but none in the batter itself because I want the brown butter to shine in the cake.

Bananas - you'll need about 2 ripe bananas for this recipe. That equates to about 1 cup mashed banana. For me, this is usually 2 large bananas. I don't recommend using frozen bananas for the best taste, but it will still work. See my tips below in the FAQ section to read why.
Butter - you will need to brown butter for this recipe. It's easy! You just cook the butter over the stove until all of the moisture boils off and the milk solids get toasty. The instructions for how to brown butter are here.
Brown sugar - light or dark brown sugar works great in this recipe. It adds a lovely hint of molasses flavor and also keeps it extra moist.
Sour cream - it add tanginess and rich dairy notes to enhance the brown butter flavor.

slices of brown butter banana coffee cake stacked

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1). Make the crumb topping. Combine the crumb topping ingredients well in a medium bowl and set aside.
STEP 2). Make the cinnamon swirl. Combine the cinnamon sugar ingredients in a small bowl.
STEP 3). Mash bananas in a bowl with the back of a fork until quite smooth.
STEP 4). Whisk in brown sugar. Add the brown sugar and whisk it in until it looks syrupy.
STEP 5). Add wet ingredients. Crack in the egg, add the sour cream, vanilla, melted brown butter and sour cream. Whisk it all in until evenly combined and smooth.
STEP 6). Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
STEP 7). Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Add flour mixture to the banana mixture and fold it in until just combined.
STEP 8). Layer the batter.
STEP 9). Bake. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is evenly browned and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

Measure flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the batter can result in a dense cake. Bananas contain carbohydrates that will contribute to some of the structure of the loaf itself, so the batter will be naturally wet. Resist the urge to add more flour.
Use the right amount of bananas. Bananas come in all different sizes... generally small medium and large. This recipe uses 2 medium sized bananas, and 1 medium banana (flesh only) weighs about 120g. So, that means after you peel your banana it should weigh about 120 grams. For this recipe you will need 240g of banana flesh.
Mash the bananas very well. Mash the bananas to a smooth consistency. This will ensure you extract all of the sugars and starch so they incorporate into the batter to make it moist and with an even crumb texture.
Do not over-mix - this is a rustic batter and doesn't need to be perfectly smooth to turn out wonderfully. Just gently fold the flour in until evenly incorporated so there aren't any large dry streaks, but no need to mix excessively. Over-mixing will lead to a drier, tougher crumb texture instead of soft and tender.
Avoid frozen bananas if you can. I always prefer to make banana cakes with very ripe spotty bananas and not frozen bananas. That is because freezing destroys the cell structure of the banana so that a lot of water leaches out once they thaw. This water is free water and can cause a dense gummy layer to form at the bottom of the baked cake. Fresh bananas have their cell structures intact so that they can contribute better to the integrity of the cake.

RECIPE FAQ

Can I use a mixer to make this banana coffee cake?

If you prefer to use a mixer, you totally can. Place the ripe bananas in the bowl and use the whisk attachment on medium speed to mash them up. Then continue to follow the recipe. Be careful not to over-mix once you add the flour.

Can I use frozen bananas to make banana coffee cake?

The short answer is, "Yes", you can. However, I don't recommend it. For the best results, use very ripe spotty bananas. Ripe fresh bananas will provide the necessary sweetness while still contributing solid structure to the loaf without making it stodgy.

Frozen bananas discolor (they turn brown due to a chemical reaction called oxidation) and will leach water once defrosted. This free water can make the loaf soggy, and it may bake with a dense gummy layer on the bottom. Also, bananas take on lots of unpleasant freezer flavors that can alter the taste of the loaf.

How do I know when banana cake is finished baking?

This banana coffee cake is ready when the crumb topping is deeply browned and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out without any wet batter.

Can I add nuts to this banana coffee cake?

Yes, you absolutely can! I would recommend a softer nut such as walnuts or pecans. You can add about ⅓ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter just before baking.

Can I add chocolate chips to this banana coffee cake?

Yes! Feel free to add ½ cup of regular or mini dark chocolate chips.

How do you store banana coffee cake?

This banana coffee cake stays moist in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature or over a week in the fridge.

Can I freeze banana coffee cake?

Yes, you absolutely can! To freeze the whole cake, wrap it well in plastic wrap and then in foil. Place the wrapped cake in a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. If you choose to freeze slices, wrap the slices individually in plastic wrap and the place in a freezer bag.

Why did my banana coffee cake come out dry?

If you have problems with your banana cake being dry, it is mostly likely because it has been over-baked or you have used too much flour. Make sure that you measure accurately.

If you love baking with bananas, check out these recipes!

Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Banana Bread Moist Chocolate Fudge Swirl Banana Muffins Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Banana Bread Whole Wheat Chocolate Banana Muffins Double Chocolate Banana Bread Banana Oat Muffins Banana Blueberry Oat Muffins

Looking for more recipes with bananas? Try these:

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