There’s something incredibly satisfying about a dessert like this. It feels nostalgic and impressive all at once, even though it’s secretly very simple to pull off.
This Caramelized Banana Upside Down Cake lands somewhere between banana bread and a classic upside down cake, with deeply caramelized bananas baked beneath a buttery vanilla crumb. The edges get sticky and glossy from the brown sugar caramel while the center stays incredibly.
One of my favorite things about using our Wild Rye Vanilla Classic Cake Mix for recipes like this is that all of the foundational work is already done for you. The flour ratio, the vanilla, the balance of sweetness, the texture. It means you can focus on the fun part, turning a simple cake mix into something that feels homemade, elevated, and dinner-party worthy. And if anyone in your crowd is gluten free, feel free to use the Wild Rye Gluten Free Vanilla Mix.
I recommend serving this warm with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream while the caramel is still melting into the cake a little.
If you’ve been looking for an easy banana upside down cake recipe or a creative way to use ripe bananas, this is a very good place to start.
Caramelized Banana Upside Down Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the caramelized banana layer
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3–4 ripe but firm bananas, sliced lengthwise or into 1/2-inch rounds
For the cake
- 1 box Wild Rye Vanilla Classic Cake Mix (or Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Mix)
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup neutral oil like avocado, canola or grapeseed
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup dark rum (optional, but delicious)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Arrange the bananas in a decorative layer in a greased 9-inch round cake pan or cast iron skillet. Remember, this becomes the top of the cake later, so make it pretty.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, brown sugar, and salt together until smooth and glossy, about 2–3 minutes. Pour the caramel evenly over the bananas.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, buttermilk, and rum until smooth and fully combined.
- Add the Wild Rye Vanilla Classic Cake Mix and stir until the batter is fully incorporated. Try not to overmix here. A few small lumps are perfectly fine.
- Carefully spread the cake batter over the bananas and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until deeply golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the banana upside down cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. You want the caramel still warm and glossy when you flip it.
- Serve warm.
A Few Notes
- This cake is best served the day it’s baked, while the caramelized banana topping is still soft and glossy.
- A cast iron skillet gives the edges especially beautiful caramelization, but a standard 9-inch cake pan works perfectly too.
- The dark rum adds warmth and depth, but the cake is still absolutely delicious without it.
- Avoid using really ripe bananas in this recipe as they tend to lose their shape while baking.