Caramel Banana Walnut Upside Down Cake

DESSERT - BAKING - RECIPES - OPTIONAL SUBSTITUTES INCLUDED FOR DAIRY AND/OR GLUTEN FREE

This cake is not only beautiful but EXTREMELY DELICIOUS! It also doesn’t hurt that it is an easy to make cake that would be great for any occasion without having to tort cake layers and make icing. It also features ingredients that are more than likely already in your kitchen. This wonderful, rich cake ensures those additional bananas on your kitchen island will be used, caramelized, and baked to perfection to top this wonderful dessert.

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

Cake Flour: I prefer to use cake flour because it creates a more tender crumb for your cake. However, you can definitely use all-purpose flour for this recipe as well. If you want to use cake flour but don’t have any on hand, you can make your own if you have corn starch on hand.

Gluten Substitute: This recipe can also be baked using gluten free flour.

Baking Powder: Used as a leavening agent to provide rise for the cake

Salt

Butter: Vegan (Non-Dairy) or Dairy

Sugar

Eggs

Egg Yolk

Vanilla Extract

Milk: Almond, Cashew, or Dairy

Caramel Banana Walnut Topping Ingredients

Butter: Vegan (Non-Dairy) or Dairy

Brown Sugar: I use dark but light brown sugar will work as well

Coconut Cream or Full Fat Coconut Milk: You can use heavy cream if you consume dairy

Vanilla Extract

Bananas: Your bananas can be ripe but the flesh of the banana should not browned and/or soft

Whole Walnuts

Method

Prepare The Cake Pan | Thoroughly butter (vegan or dairy) or spray your pan with oil before anything is added to ensure nothing sticks to your cake p. After oiling my pan, I add about 1-2 tbsps of sugar to the sides of my cake pan. This really helps ensure the rim of the cake is truly caramelized. However, this step is optional.

Make Cake Batter | The batter is made using the traditional creaming method. The butter will be creamed using a hand or stand mixer. Afterwards, your sugar, eggs, and vanilla will be mixed into the creamed mixture. Add the flour mixture (cake flour, baking powder, and salt) in 2 different segments while alternating with the milk (vegan/non-dairy or dairy). Start with the flour and end with the flour.

Caramel | In a small sauce pot, add your butter, brown sugar, and coconut cream (or full coconut milk). Heat over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Continue to heat for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, just until all ingredients are completely homogenous and start to slightly thicken. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Allow the caramel to sit for about 10 minutes.

Arrange Walnuts |After oiling the pan and possibly adding parchment paper, you will line the outside of the round cake pan with the walnuts.

Slice and Add Bananas | After the caramel has been pour in, your lengthwise sliced bananas will be add on top of the caramel sauce. To have an idea of what you want your cake pattern to turn out, I suggest you play around with the pattern and figure out how you want it to look BEFORE adding it into your actual cake pan.

Pour in Cake Batter and Bake | The cake batter will be poured on top of your arranged topping in the cake pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a fork or skewer comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Caramel Banana Walnut Upside Down Cake

Yield: 1 (9 inch) cake

Cake Batter

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1/2 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick/4ozs) butter (vegan/non-dairy or dairy), softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 milk (vegan/non-dairy or dairy)

optional: 1-2 tbsps sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare a 9-inch round cake pan by covering it with butter (vegan or dairy) or pan spray. To ensure the cake does not get stuck, you can add another measure of safety by adding a parchment round to the bottom of the pan. Also, I like to add about 1-2 tablespoons of sugar to the pan to coat the sides of the round cake pan. However, you do have the option to skip this step.

In a medium sized bowl, mix your flour, baking powder, and salt. Sit to the side.

Cream butter using stand or hand mixer. Add sugar and mix until completely blended. Add eggs and egg yolk one at a time blending after each addition. Pour in the vanilla and mix thoroughly.

Add the flour mixture (cake flour, baking powder, and salt) in 2 different segments while alternating with the milk. Start with the flour and end with the flour. Do not overmix. Just ensure all dry ingredients have been mixed in and hydrated. Sit the batter to the side.

Caramel and Banana Walnut Topping

1/4 cup (2ozs/4tbsps) butter (vegan/non-dairy or dairy)

1/3 cup (0.7ozs/21g) dark brown sugar

3 tbsps (1.8ozs/51 grams) coconut cream or full fat coconut milk

1 tsp vanilla

3 bananas, sliced vertically

3/4 - 1 cup whole walnuts

Line the outside of your round cake pan with your walnuts creating a circle border. Slice the bananas in half lengthwise and sit to the side.

In a small sauce pot, add your butter, brown sugar, and coconut cream (or full coconut milk). Heat over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Continue to heat for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, just until all ingredients are completely homogenous and start to slightly thicken. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Allow the caramel to sit for about 10 minutes.

Pour the caramel into your prepared 9-inch cake pan lined with the walnuts. Afterwards, lay your sliced bananas, cut side down, on top of the caramel in your desired pattern. Finally, pour your cake batter into the cake pan.

Insert your cake into your preheated oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a fork or skewer comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 11-15 minutes. Afterwards, invert the cake on a flat plate or serving platter. Allow the cake to cool and set for at least 30 more minutes before serving.

Enjoy!