Introduction

Brown Butter Banana Coffee Cake is a moist and flavorful banana bread layered with a crunchy cinnamon-sugar streusel and topped with a gooey maple icing. This cozy treat is perfect for breakfast, snack time, or dessert, offering a delicious twist on classic banana bread with the rich nuttiness of brown butter.

The image shows a thick square piece of dessert with three layers on a white plate. The bottom layer is dark brown and dense, likely chocolate or brownie. The middle layer is a crumbly light brown texture, looking like streusel or nuts. The top layer is light tan with a soft and slightly rough texture, maybe cream or frosting with small chunks on top. Crumbs are scattered around the plate, and the background has a white marbled texture. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

Brown Butter: 2 ½ cups unsalted butter (5 sticks)

Crumble: 3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1 cup dark brown sugar (packed, light brown sugar is fine)

½ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Banana Bread: 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar (packed, light brown sugar is fine)

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 6 large bananas)

3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

4 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Maple Icing: ⅓ cup pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup powdered sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Step 1: Melt the butter in a large stainless steel pan over medium heat. Whisk continually until brown bits form and the butter foams, becomes golden, and smells nutty—about 1 to 5 minutes. Quickly pour into a large measuring cup and let cool slightly. You should have about 2 cups of brown butter.

Step 2: To make the crumble, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Drizzle in 1 cup of the brown butter and use a fork to combine until the mixture resembles wet sand with large chunks. Set aside.

Step 3: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

Step 4: In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup of brown butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add mashed bananas and mix.

Step 5: Fold in the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until just combined.

Step 6: Pour half of the banana batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle half of the crumble evenly over it. Repeat with the remaining batter and crumble.

Step 7: Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (a few crumbs are okay). Check at 45 minutes and cover with greased foil if the top browns too quickly.

Step 8: Let the cake cool for 15 to 20 minutes before preparing the icing.

Step 9: For the maple icing, microwave butter and maple syrup in 30-second intervals until butter is melted. Whisk in powdered sugar and salt until smooth, then drizzle over the warm cake.

Tips & Variations

Use ripe bananas with brown spots for the best natural sweetness and moist texture.

Light brown sugar can be substituted for dark brown sugar in both the crumble and banana bread.

If you prefer a less sweet crumble, reduce the granulated sugar to ¼ cup.

Try adding chopped walnuts or pecans to the crumble for extra crunch.

For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with a plant-based alternative and use a maple-based glaze without butter.

FAQs

Can I use regular butter instead of brown butter?

Yes, you can, but browning the butter adds a rich, nutty flavor that enhances the overall taste of the cake. If you skip browning, the cake will still be delicious but less complex in flavor.