A very special bananas foster cinnamon cake to ring in the New Year! This cake is soft and dense, with rich brown sugar, sweet cinnamon, and vanilla flavor running throughout. The batter is spread on top of a decadent “bananas foster” inspired sauce and then baked in the oven until golden brown. Serve this cake warm with ice cream alongside for the full effect!
This recipe is made in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill.
bananas foster cinnamon cake – the details
What better way to close out the year than with a celebratory cake! This bananas foster cake is so special, with a very rich, decadent layer of caramel and bananas on the top.
You’ll start by browning the bananas in butter and then whip up a quick sauce made with brown sugar, cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and dark rum for a true bananas foster essence.
The batter of the cake is really simple, yet perfectly flavored with cinnamon and vanilla. I’m using my go-to flour for baking, Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Organic Flour.
The flour is high in quality and bakes up beautifully in this cake. A little almond flour adds a great texture to the cake as well.
I like to serve this cake warm with vanilla ice cream on the side. The cake stays soft and buttery, while the sauce layer gives it plenty of sweet richness, and the ice cream melts into the entire thing.
It is so, so good. And the perfect thing to whip up tomorrow if you need a last-minute appetizer for New Year’s Day!
PrintBananas Foster Cinnamon Cake
a soft, dense cinnamon cake with a “bananas foster” caramel sauce & pecan topping
servings: 12
Ingredients
Bananas Foster Sauce
- 1 lb bananas, peeled
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup dark rum
- 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
Cake Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup super-fine almond flour
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ lb unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- flaky sea salt
- vanilla ice cream (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13” cake pan. Line it with a piece of parchment paper. Cut the bananas in half lengthwise and then in half crosswise.
- For the sauce, heat a 12” stainless steel skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and let it melt. Carefully place the bananas, flat side down, into the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes until browned. Evenly arrange the bananas, flat side down, in the prepared cake pan.
- To the skillet, add the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk to combine and simmer for about a minute. Drizzle the rum over the mixture. Very carefully use a lighter to flame the mixture. Shake the skillet until the flame goes out.
- Pour the sauce evenly over the bananas in the cake pan. Sprinkle the pecans over top and set aside.
- For the batter, combine the all-purpose flour, almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a paddle attachment, cream together for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Mix in the greek yogurt and vanilla until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix just to combine and remove any lumps.
- Transfer the batter to the cake pan and spread into an even layer. Bake on the middle rack for 45-50 minutes, until golden and just set in the middle.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Place a cutting board on top of the cake pan and flip the cake over so that it releases from the pan. Cut the cake into squares. Serve warm with a pinch of flaky sea salt and ice cream if desired.
I made this, oh my…I have more request from my family, thanks for sharing your amazing recipes!!
Thanks for the great feedback, Michee! So glad to hear you enjoyed this! -Kayla
Mine came out perfectly as well. Delicious!! ❤️
Thanks for sharing, Gretchen! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Amazing Cake!! Followed the recipe exactly and it came out fantastic!
Hi Marla! Thrilled to hear you loved this cake. Thanks for sharing! -Kayla