Mini Banana Upside Down Cake

a slice of caramelized banana upside down cake on a white plate.

5 from 38 votes

This mini banana upside down cake is a soft, buttery cake baked in a small dish with a golden caramelized banana topping. Made with one banana and simple pantry ingredients.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Cool10

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: banana cake, banana recipe, banana upside down cake, cake, caramelized banana upside down cake, mini cake, mini upside down cake, upside down cake

Servings: servings

Author: Joanie Zisk

Equipment

5-inch baking dish or a 4x6-inch baking dish
Electric hand mixer

Ingredients

For the Banana Topping

1 ½ tablespoons salted butter - melted
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 medium banana - sliced

For the Cake

2 tablespoons salted butter - softened to room temperature
6 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
⅛ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk

US - Metric

Instructions

Make the Banana Topping

Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease the baking dish with butter and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.
In a small bowl, stir the melted butter and brown sugar together until combined.
Spread the brown sugar mixture evenly across the bottom of the baking dish.
Slice the banana into 1/4-inch rounds and arrange them in a single layer over the brown sugar mixture.

Make the Cake

In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with a hand mixer on low speed until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until just combined.
Stir in the milk until the batter is smooth. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter over the bananas and spread evenly with a spatula.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, place a plate upside down over the dish, and flip in one motion. Lift the dish off carefully.
Serve warm.

Video

Notes

Use a ripe banana with brown spots. You want a banana that's yellow with a few brown spots, sweet but still firm enough to hold its shape when sliced. A banana that's too green won't caramelize well. One that's overripe and mushy will fall apart in the pan.

Choose the right baking dish. A 5x5 inch or 4x6 inch dish is the right size for this small batch banana cake. A larger dish will spread the batter too thin and the cake will overbake. A smaller dish risks overflow.

Double it if you need more. To make a larger cake, double the recipe and bake in a 7-inch round springform pan, a standard loaf pan, a 6.5-inch square baking dish, or a 6x8 inch baking dish. Bake time stays the same.

Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet. The brown sugar and butter can bubble over during baking. A baking sheet underneath catches any drips and makes cleanup easier.

Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which makes the cake tough instead of tender.

Wait 10 minutes before flipping. The caramel layer needs time to set slightly or it will run everywhere when you invert the cake. But don't wait longer than 15 minutes or the sugar will harden and stick to the dish.

If doubling the recipe, use these baking dishes:

4.5x8.5-inch loaf pan (1.5-quart)
7-inch round springform pan
6.5-inch square baking dish
6x8 inch baking dish

Nutrition

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