Brown Sugar Gluten-Free Banana Upside-Down Cake
yields: 12 slices , one 9-inch cake
Gluten-free banana upside-down cake is a centerpiece showstopper. Sticky toffee caramelized bananas soak into a moist and fluffy gluten-free cinnamon teff flour cake.
Ingredients
Caramelized Banana Topping
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
- Pinch kosher salt
- 3-4 ripe but firm bananas, halved lengthwise
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Cake
- 72 g (½ cup + 1 tablespoon) Bob’s Red Mill sorghum flour
- 70 g (¼ cup + 3 tablespoons) Bob’s Red Mill sweet rice flour, different from "white rice flour" or "brown rice flour"
- 56 g (½ cup) Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour
- 46 g (¼ cup + 1 tablespoon) Bob’s Red Mill teff flour
- ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 220 g (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (160 g) whole milk, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (80 g) sour cream
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch round aluminum cake pan with 2-inch sides and line it with a round of parchment paper. Set aside. See note for other sizes pans.
- Combine the brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring until the butter and sugar are just melted, about 1-2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla bean paste and salt. Pour the caramel into the prepared cake pan.
- Arrange the halved bananas, cut-side down, over the caramel, squeezing in as many as will fit.
- Whisk together the sorghum flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca flour, teff flour, xanthan gum, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar over medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition and scraping down the sides as needed. Add the vanilla extract.
- With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk and sour cream, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix until just combined.
- Pour the cake batter over the bananas, smoothing out the top.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, until the center springs back when gently touched and a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
- Let cool In the pan for 10 minutes (but no longer or the caramel will firm up and stick to the pan!). Run a knife around the outside edge, place a wire rack over the top and, holding the wire rack and cake pan together with oven mitts, carefully flip the cake right-side up, setting it over a plate or baking sheet to catch any caramel spills. Spoon any caramel left in the pan over the top, and if any banana bits remain stuck to the top, carefully put them back on the cake. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
Alternative Pan Sizes: A 8x8 square cake pan or 10-inch round cake pan will work too, as will a 9-inch cast iron skillet or springform pan. If using a springform pan, place a baking sheet underneath to catch any leaks. If using a 10-inch round baking pan or a cast-iron skillet, your bake time will be less. For a 10-inch round, start checking for doneness at 40 minutes. For a cast iron skillet, check for doneness at 45 minutes. I do not recommend using a glass cake pan as it heats up faster and is more likely to overcook the outside of the cake before the center is fully baked.
