Upside-Down Banana Cake

Name: Upside-Down Banana Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: Sugar ½ cup; Type 00 flour ¾ cup; Whole grain flour 0.8 cup; Eggs (medium) 2; Greek yogurt 0.67 cup; Lemon peel 1; Baking powder 2 tsp; Bananas 5; Sugar 0.6 cup; Butter 2.8 tbsp; Water 2 tbsp

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256

Calories per serving

Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 256
Carbohydrates g 44.9
of which sugars g 29.6
Protein g 5.4
Fats g 6.1
of which saturated fat g 3.16
Fiber g 2.2
Cholesterol mg 53
Sodium mg 28

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Serving: 10
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Banana upside-down cake is a classic on Italian tables, especially when folks crave something moist and a bit fun for snacks or family gatherings. So, in Sicily or Tuscany, you’ll often find it made with a soft, fluffy batter using Greek yogurt instead of butter. This makes each bite super tender but not heavy. And you know what? The way banana slices get arranged in a circle over the caramel—well, they end up looking almost too pretty to eat when you flip the cake. People really, really love that banana upside-down cake look, and the golden caramelized top gives it a shine that's kinda unique compared to regular banana cake recipes or even classic banana bread.

Kids? They adore picking their favorite slice with the most caramelized banana dessert on top. And the adults? Always ready for another piece with espresso or a glass of milk. Here’s the deal: this Italian-style banana upside-down cake is super easy to switch up. Some families swap bananas for oranges, pineapples, or even peaches and amaretti for a twist. Some go for mandarins for a tangy kick—keeps things interesting. The easy banana cake style means you don’t have to be a pro to make something that looks this good. Plus, it’s perfect for using fruit that's a bit too sweet to eat alone.

That mix of a moist base with sticky caramel banana topping is something special—like a mash-up of banana bread and upside-down cake. Whether it’s for an afternoon treat or a fun dessert after dinner, it always disappears fast. Thing is, next time you want to wow everyone with something simple yet a little fancy, this Italian banana dessert is for real the way to go. Just remember to have extra napkins handy because everyone will be reaching for more. Seriously good stuff!

INGREDIENTS

256

Calories per serving

Ingredients for a 9-inch diameter cake pan: Sugar ½ cup (100 g); Type 00 flour ¾ cup (95 g); Whole grain flour 0.8 cup (105 g); Eggs 2 - (medium); Greek yogurt 0.67 cup (160 g); Lemon peel 1; Baking powder 2 tsp (10 g); Bananas 5

for the caramel: Sugar 0.6 cup (120 g); Butter 2.8 tbsp (40 g); Water 2 tbsp (30 g)

Preparation

How to prepare Upside-Down Banana Cake

To make the upside-down banana cake, start by preparing the batter: place the whole eggs in a bowl, add the sugar 1 and lemon zest 2, beat the ingredients with an electric mixer until you get a fluffy and light mixture 3,

also add the Greek yogurt 4. Sift the flours 5 and then add the baking powder 6.

Add the dry ingredients to the batter one tablespoon at a time 7, mix with the electric mixer to combine the mixture 8. Meanwhile, prepare the caramel, pour the granulated sugar and water into a saucepan with a thick bottom 9,

heat over moderate heat to dissolve the sugar 10 and let it brown to create the caramel, swirl the saucepan occasionally to mix. Meanwhile, melt the butter in another saucepan 11, when the caramel is browned, add the melted butter 12

turn off the heat and set aside 13 (due to the presence of butter, the caramel will not harden). Peel the bananas, dice one banana, and slice the remaining bananas into rounds with a diagonal cut 14. Take a 9-inch diameter baking pan, butter it, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Arrange the banana slices on top, placing them next to each other, slightly overlapping, starting from the perimeter to cover the entire bottom of the cake pan 15.

Pour the caramel over the bananas 16, and then after adding the diced bananas to the batter 17, pour the mixture into the pan as well 18.

Bake the cake in a static oven at 340°F for 35 minutes (or in a convection oven at 300°F for 25 minutes). Once cooked, remove the pan from the oven 19 and let it cool slightly for 5 minutes, then turn it upside down onto a serving plate, remove the pan and gently peel off the parchment paper from the base 20. Your upside-down banana cake is ready to be enjoyed 21.