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Banana upside down cake with whipped cream

Chicory Banana Upside-Down Cake

This Chicory Banana Upside-Down Cake is a heavenly combination of sweet, caramelized bananas, robust chicory caramel, and a moist, light cinnamon cake.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Inactive time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 397kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Bananas:

  • 3 medium bananas (about 568 grams before peeling; see Note 1)
  • 2 tablespoons butter (divided; more if needed)

Caramel:

Batter:

For serving, optional:

Instructions

Brown the bananas:

  • Peel the bananas and slice them into ½-inch thick coins on a slight bias.
  • Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Once melted and frothy, add the bananas in an even layer, cooking in batches for about 2 minutes per side until browned and caramelized around the edges. The bananas are ready to flip when they release easily from the bottom of the skillet. Remove from the skillet and transfer to a plate. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and wipe out the skillet between batches if needed.

Make the caramel:

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Set aside.
  • Melt 4 tablespoons (57 g) of butter in a small pot over medium heat. Once melted, add ½ cup (100 g) of light brown sugar. Stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture darkens slightly in color.
  • Turn the heat to low and add 2 tablespoons (8 g) of instant chicory and 2 tablespoons (30 g) heavy cream. Whisk until smooth and simmer for 1 minute. Turn off the heat.
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and smooth it into an even layer. Transfer to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Make the batter:

  • Sift 1 cup (120 g) of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon (7 g) powdered buttermilk, 1 tablespoon (4 g) instant chicory, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt into a small bowl. Set aside.
  • Add 4 tablespoons (57 g) of room temperature butter and ½ cup (100 g) of light brown sugar to a large bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to cream them together. Add 1 egg and beat until smooth.
  • Add half the sifted dry ingredients and beat with the mixer until just combined. Add half the milk and beat until just combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and the remaining milk, along with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until just combined. Don’t over-mix!

Assemble the cake:

  • Remove the cake pan from the refrigerator. Arrange the bananas over the caramel layer in tight concentric circles, slightly overlapping, to create a rosette shape in the middle. Pour the batter over the bananas and smooth it out with the back of your spatula.

Bake the upside-down cake:

  • Transfer the cake to the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Let the cake stand at room temperature for 1 hour. The cake should still be warm to the touch.

Flip the cake:

  • Place a large plate over the cake pan and carefully invert the cake onto the plate.

To serve:

  • Slice the cake into pieces and finish with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a sprinkle of crushed walnuts. Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: I recommend bananas that are very slightly underripe. Look for bananas with no brown spots, a yellow body, and a slight greenish tinge at the ends. You can use riper bananas, if preferred, but note that they will tend to fall apart or become very soft when you brown them in the butter.

Nutrition

Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Sodium: 245mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin C: 4mg
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