Are you looking for something different to bake to use up ripe bananas that have been sitting on your counter for days now? Look no further! My upside-down bundt cake will have you going ‘bananas’ for more! 😉
*Good To Know*
- How can I tell if my bananas are ripe?
Bananas are normally ripe by checking the following:
– peel is thin and easy to peel
– brown spots
– sweet banana smell is strong
– tastes sweeter than an unripe banana
– soft to squeeze
- Should I use sweet or unsweetened shredded coconut?
The choice is yours. I prefer mine unsweetened since I enjoy less-sweet desserts. Be sure to use dried, shredded coconut. - Is Rum needed?
Alcohol adds a nice depth of flavour to desserts but is completely optional. For my recipe, you can add Rum or Gran Marnier for a little extra kick of flavour. Omit it if you’re keeping this dessert kid friendly or add Rum extract instead. - Can I use a regular round 9″ cake pan instead of a bundt cake pan?
Yes you can. Do not grease your bundt cake or round cake pan. This will give your cake a chance to rise a little higher while baking. Don’t use a cake pan larger than 9″ since that creates a larger surface area and will result in a thinner, less moist cake.
Ingredients you’ll need
For the cake
- unsalted butter
- unsweetened, shredded coconut
- eggs (room temperature)
- vanilla sugar or vanilla extract
- white sugar
- salt
- all purpose flour
- cornstarch
- baking powder
For the banana layer
- 5 – 6 ripe medium bananas
- brown sugar
- lemon juice
- unsalted butter
- unsweetened, shredded coconut
- salt
- rum (optional)
For the decor
- powdered icing sugar
Cook bananas before you bake
To prepare the delicious top banana layer of the upside down part of your cake, you’ll need to cook bananas on the stove top to infuse it with some buttery-sugary-coconuty-goodness first! In a large skillet, melt unsalted butter over medium-high heat then add thickly sliced bananas to skillet and swirl around until coated with melted butter (don’t stir as that breaks apart bananas faster and we still want some texture for our cake). Add brown sugar, salt, shredded unsweetened coconut, lemon juice and swirl until everything is melted and combined. If you’re making this an adult friendly dessert, you can add Rum or Gran Marnier at this point and cook bananas until they start to bubble.
Remove skillet off heat and allow to cool while you prepare the cake batter. Don’t be alarmed by the amount of liquid since it will get absorbed by our cake batter and make it deliciously soft.
Prepare cake batter while bananas cool
Whip room temperature egg whites to soft peaks in the bowl of your stand mixer with whisk attachment (whipping egg whites first helps create a soft, fluffy cake texture). Add vanilla sugar, white sugar, salt and continue to whisk eggs until stiff peak is reached. Add 1 egg yolk and whisk until fully mixed before adding the next yolk. Repeat this until all 4 yolks are incorporated into the meringue.
In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (all purpose flour, corn starch and baking powder) and scoop 1/4 cup at a time into the meringue while you whisk on low speed. Then add unsweetened shredded coconuts into batter and mix until combined. Finally pour melted butter into the batter and combine just until it’s incorporated.
How to bake upside down cake
I love the concept of an upside down cake! Pour everyting into your cake mould and turn it over when it’s done to see the finished result. So gratifying!
Don’t grease your cake pan (it will allow our cake to rise a little higher in doing so). I used this nonstick bundt pan to make my cake. Pour cooked bananas into your bundt cake form and shift or swirl it to create an even layer of bananas. Gently pour your cake batter over the banana layer and use a spatula to lightly spread the batter surface to cover any spots of banana layer.
Place on the middle oven rack for even baking and bake for 25 minutes on 350°F (177°C) until cake is golden brown. You can test the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick or wooden skewer into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean then your cake is done. If batter clings to your toothpick, bake your cake for another 5 minutes and test again. When done, allow cake to cool for 10 minutes. Use a silicone spatula to loosen your cake around the sides. Place a 10 or 12 inch cake plate or platter over your cake pan and flip cake over. Remove pan from cake and allow cake to cool for another 5 to 10 minutes. Then dust powdered icing sugar with a small mesh strainer all over cake. Enjoy while warm.
If you are still jonesing for something sweet with coconut, how about my Soft and Chewy Coconut Oatmeal Cookies?
Banana Coconut Upside Down Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Banana Coconut Layer
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 5 medium ripe bananas, sliced 1 inch thick pieces
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup rum or gran marnier, *Optional*
Coconut-Vanilla Cake
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar (1 envelope), or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs yolks, room temperature
- ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Decor
- 1 Tablespoon powdered icing sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Banana Coconut Layer
- In a large skillet, melt unsalted butter on medium-high heat. Add sliced bananas and swirl around in the skillet until coated with melted butter (don't stir as that will break apart banana slices). Add brown sugar, salt, shredded coconut and lemon juice. Continue to swirl bananas until everything is combined. At this point you can add rum or gran marnier (if you want to add alcohol) and cook bananas until it just starts to bubble, then remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Coconut-Vanilla Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment, add egg whites and beat egg whites on high until soft peaks form. Add vanilla sugar (or extract), white sugar, salt and continue to whisk on high until stiff peaks form. Add 1 egg yolk and whisk until combined. Then add the next egg yolk until combined. Do this until all egg yolks are whisked in and continue to beat everything on high for another 2 minutes until meringue is a pale yellow.
- In a medium bowl, combine all purpose flour, cornstarch and baking powder. Then on low speed, add a 1/4 cup of flour to meringue at a time until batter is well combined. Scrape down bowl in between additions if needed. Add shredded coconut and mix until just incorporated into batter. Lastly, pour in melted butter and mix until combined.
- In an ungreased 9 inch Bundt cake pan, slowly pour in cooked bananas in an even layer (swirl your pan to spread bananas if needed). Then, carefully pour or scoop in cake batter to cover the banana layer evenly. Spread batter surface with spatula if needed but be careful not to mix it with the bottom layer.
- Place pan on middle oven rack and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Let cake rest for 10 minutes. Then use a silicone spatula to loosen cake around the sides. Place a 10 or 12 inch plate or platter over cake pan. Flip cake over and remove pan from cake. Allow cake to cool for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- When ready to serve, with a small mesh strainer, add 1 Tbsp. powdered icing sugar and dust all over cake. Serve while warm.
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