Description
Brown Butter Banana Coffee Cake is a moist and flavorful banana bread that’s enhanced with the rich nuttiness of brown butter, layered with a crunchy cinnamon-sugar streusel, and finished with a gooey maple icing. Perfect for breakfast, a snack, or a dessert, this cake combines classic banana bread with a delightful coffee cake crumble topping and a sweet maple glaze for an irresistible treat.
Ingredients
Scale
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
- 1 cup brown butter (from above)
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
- 1 cup brown butter (from above)
Maple Icing
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Make Brown Butter: Melt butter in a large stainless steel pan over medium heat. Once melted, whisk continually for 1 to 5 minutes until brown bits form, the butter foams, turns golden, and develops a nutty aroma. Quickly pour into a large measuring cup (yielding 2 cups) and let cool slightly.
- Prepare Crumble: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Drizzle in 1 cup of the brown butter and use a fork to combine until the mixture resembles wet sand with chunky pieces. Set aside.
- Make Banana Bread Batter: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 1 cup brown butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in mashed bananas. Fold in flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
- Assemble and Bake: Pour half the batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle half the crumble evenly over it, then repeat layering with the remaining batter and crumble. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, checking at 45 minutes to cover with greased tin foil if the top is browning too quickly. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs.
- Cool the Cake: Let the cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes before applying the maple icing.
- Prepare Maple Icing: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and maple syrup. Microwave in 30 second intervals until butter is melted. Whisk in powdered sugar and salt until smooth.
- Finish: Drizzle the warm maple icing over the cooled banana coffee cake and serve.
Notes
- Check the cake during baking at 45 minutes; if the top browns too quickly, cover with greased foil to prevent burning.
- The cake stores well at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- You can freeze the cake for up to 3 months; thaw before serving.
- Reheat servings in the microwave to enjoy warm maple icing flavor.
- Ensure bananas are ripe and well mashed for optimal flavor and moisture.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake tender.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: banana bread, banana bread coffee cake, banana coffee cake, brown butter, brown butter banana bread, brown butter banana cake, brown butter cake, brown butter coffee cake, maple glaze, maple icing
