You don’t have to drag your mixer out for this little banana cake that takes just minutes to whisk together. It’s soft, fluffy, light, with just enough density to be satisfying. The browned butter glaze adds wonderful depth of flavor, and it seeps into the nooks and crannies of the cake, making an already moist and tender cake even more so. You can never have too many recipes for all those ripe bananas that just seem to multiply.
1cupmashed ripe bananasabout 2 large or 3 small/medium
Browned Butter Glaze
6tablespoonsunsalted butter3/4 of 1 stick
about 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1teaspoonvanilla extract
pinchsaltoptional and to taste
Instructions
For the Cake – Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together egg, sugars, oil, yogurt, and vanilla until smooth and incorporated.
Add the flour, baking soda, optional salt, and stir until just combined; don’t overmix.
Add the bananas and stir to just incorporate.
Turn batter out into prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the top is domed, golden, center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. At about the 20 minute mark, or at any point if your cake is getting a bit too golden or dark before the center is setting, tent with foil (lay a sheet of foil over the top of your cake). I tented at the 20 minute mark and baked for 35 minutes total. Baking times could vary from 25 to 45 minutes depending on water content of the bananas, yogurt, climate, and oven variances.
Allow cake to cool in pan on a wire rack while making the glaze.
For the Browned Butter Glaze – Add butter to a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until butter has melted and begins to brown and brown specks appear; the process usually takes 3 to 5 minutes. During that time, the butter will hiss, foam, sputter, and make lots of noise. This is the water releasing. After the noises subside, small brown specks will begin to appear. Swirl pan frequently throughout the whole process, and nearly continuously after you see the specks because that’s when the butter is prone to burning, and the specks can go from brown to black. I push the envelope and cook the butter as long as I possibly can to develop the most amount of flavor.
After butter is browned to your liking, transfer to a heat-safe medium-sized bowl.
Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and optional salt until smooth.
Pour glaze over warm cake. Smooth it lightly with a spatula.
Cover cake and allow it to rest so glaze can seep in before serving. I suggest at least 2 to 3 hours; I rested my cake overnight. Cake will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.