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Do you have a bunch of overripe bananas sitting on your counter, but you are completely tired of making standard banana bread? Look no further! This Banana Coconut Upside Down Bundt Cake is going to have you going bananas for more!
A gorgeous twist on a classic, this dessert features a soft, light vanilla cake. But the real magic happens at the bottom of the pan—or rather, the top! We cook thick slices of ripe bananas in a rich, buttery, caramelized rum glaze before pouring the cake batter over them.
Once baked, you simply flip the pan over to reveal a built-in, luscious, caramelized banana topping. It is irresistibly soft, packed with tropical flavour, and makes the absolute perfect treat for brunch or dessert!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The Built-In Topping: Upside-down cakes are deeply gratifying. The caramelized fruit layer bakes right into the top of the cake, adding more flavour to the soft cake!
A Brilliant Texture: Whipping the egg whites into a meringue before folding them into the batter makes the cake base incredibly soft, fluffy, and light.
The Perfect Banana Saver: This is the ultimate, creative way to use up those brown, spotty bananas sitting on your kitchen counter!
Ingredients You Will Need
Gather your overripe bananas and baking staples to bring this tropical treat together!
For the Caramelized Banana Layer:
The Fruit: 5 to 6 medium ripe bananas (sliced into thick 1-inch pieces) and 2 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
The Caramel: ½ cup unsalted butter and ½ cup packed brown sugar.
The Flavour: ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ cup dark rum or Grand Marnier (completely optional, but highly recommended!).
For the Coconut-Vanilla Cake:
The Eggs: 4 large eggs (room temperature).
The Sweetness: ½ cup white sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla sugar (or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract).
The Dry Mix: ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, ¼ cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
The Fat & Flavour: ⅓ cup unsalted butter (melted).
For the Finish:
The Garnish: 1 Tablespoon of powdered icing sugar for dusting.
How to Make Banana Coconut Upside Down Cake
Phase 1: Cook the Banana Layer
In a large skillet, melt the ½ cup of unsalted butter over medium-high heat.
Add the brown sugar, salt, ½ cup of shredded coconut, and lemon juice. Continue swirling the pan until everything has melted and combined.
Add the thickly sliced bananas. Do not stir them! Simply swirl the pan around so the bananas get coated in the butter without breaking apart and turning to mush.
If using alcohol, pour in the rum or Grand Marnier now. Let the mixture cook just until it starts to bubble, then immediately remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside to cool. (Do not worry if it looks like a lot of liquid—the cake batter will absorb it and become incredibly moist!)
Phase 2: Whip the Cake Batter
Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the room-temperature eggs with the vanilla sugar, white sugar, and salt on high speed until the mixture has doubled in volume and turns a pale, fluffy yellow.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Pour in the melted butter and mix with the whisk attachment, or fold it in with a spatula, just until incorporated.
Phase 3: Assemble and Bake (Upside Down!)
Do not grease your pan! Pour the cooled, caramelized banana mixture directly into the bottom of a clean, ungreased 9-inch bundt pan. Swirl the pan slightly to create an even layer.
Carefully pour or scoop the cake batter directly over the bananas. Use a spatula to gently spread the batter to the edges, being careful not to disturb the fruit layer below.
Bake on the middle rack for 25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for exactly 10 minutes. Run a silicone spatula around the outer edges to loosen it. Place a serving platter upside down over the pan, grip them tightly together, and quickly flip!
Let the cake cool for another 5 to 10 minutes, dust with powdered sugar, and serve warm!
💡Pro Tips for the Best Cake
Do Not Grease the Pan: This is a crucial step! By leaving the bundt pan completely ungreased, the light, airy batter can “grip” the sides of the pan as it bakes. This allows the cake to rise significantly higher, resulting in a fluffier texture! Be sure to use a nonstick bundt cake pan though!
Swirl, Don’t Stir: When making the banana layer in the skillet, keep your spoons out of the pan. Stirring the bananas will mash them up. Swirling the pan keeps the 1-inch slices completely intact so they look beautiful when you flip the cake over.
Spotting the Perfect Banana: For the best flavour, your bananas should have a thin, brown-spotted peel. They should smell strongly of sweet banana and feel slightly soft when gently squeezed! In other words, very ripe!
Complete the Dessert Table
Turn a quiet weekend afternoon into a full-blown baking session! Try these other treats for a dessert table you can share with loved ones.
Can I use a regular round cake pan instead of a bundt pan?
Yes, you absolutely can! A standard 9-inch round cake pan works beautifully. Just remember not to grease it, and do not use a pan larger than 9 inches. A larger pan will spread the batter too thin, resulting in a thin, dry cake.
Should I use sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut?
Because this cake gets a lot of natural sweetness from the ripe bananas and caramelized brown sugar, I highly recommend using unsweetened, dried shredded coconut so the dessert doesn’t become overly sugary.
Is the rum absolutely necessary?
Not at all! Alcohol adds a beautiful, rich depth of flavour that pairs perfectly with tropical fruits, but it is completely optional. You can easily omit it to keep the dessert kid-friendly, or substitute ½ teaspoon of rum extract for the rum to get the flavour without the alcohol!
Caramelize the Bananas: In a large skillet, melt ½ cup of unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar, salt, ½ cup shredded coconut, and lemon juice; swirl the pan until melted and combined. Add the thick banana slices and swirl to coat (do not stir, or they will turn to mush!). If using rum, pour it in now and cook just until bubbling. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Whip the Eggs: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the room-temperature eggs, vanilla sugar, white sugar, and salt on high speed until the mixture has doubled in volume and turns a pale, fluffy yellow.
Mix the Batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the eggs and mix until just combined. Pour in the melted butter and mix or fold with a spatula only until incorporated.
Layer the Pan: Do not grease your pan! Pour the cooled, caramelized banana mixture directly into the bottom of a clean, ungreased 9-inch non-stick bundt pan, swirling slightly to create an even layer. Carefully scoop and gently spread the cake batter over the bananas without disturbing the fruit layer below.
Bake and Invert: Bake on the middle rack for 25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a wooden skewer around the outer edges to loosen it the cake layer. Place a serving platter upside down over the pan, grip them tightly together, and quickly flip!
Garnish and Serve: Let the inverted cake cool for another 5 to 10 minutes. Dust evenly with powdered icing sugar and serve warm!
Do Not Grease the Pan: This is a crucial step! By leaving the bundt pan completely ungreased, the light, airy batter can “grip” the sides of the pan as it bakes. This allows the cake to rise significantly higher, resulting in a fluffier texture! Be sure to use a nonstick bundt cake pan though!
Can I use a regular round cake pan instead of a bundt pan?Yes, you absolutely can! A standard nonstick 9-inch round cake pan works beautifully. Just remember not to grease it, and do not use a pan larger than 9 inches. A larger pan will spread the batter too thin, resulting in a flatter, dry cake.Should I use sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut?Because this cake gets a lot of natural sweetness from the ripe bananas and the caramelized brown sugar, I highly recommend using dried, unsweetened shredded coconut so the dessert doesn’t become overly sugary.Is the rum absolutely necessary?Not at all! Alcohol adds a beautiful, rich depth of flavour that pairs perfectly with tropical fruits, but it is completely optional. You can easily omit it to keep the dessert kid-friendly, or substitute it with ½ teaspoon of rum extract to get the flavour without the alcohol!
Can I use a regular round cake pan instead of a bundt pan?
Yes, you absolutely can! A standard nonstick 9-inch round cake pan works beautifully. Just remember not to grease it, and do not use a pan larger than 9 inches. A larger pan will spread the batter too thin, resulting in a flatter, dry cake.
Should I use sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut?
Because this cake gets a lot of natural sweetness from the ripe bananas and the caramelized brown sugar, I highly recommend using dried, unsweetened shredded coconut so the dessert doesn’t become overly sugary.
Is the rum absolutely necessary?
Not at all! Alcohol adds a beautiful, rich depth of flavour that pairs perfectly with tropical fruits, but it is completely optional. You can easily omit it to keep the dessert kid-friendly, or substitute it with ½ teaspoon of rum extract to get the flavour without the alcohol!
