Sticky Toffee Banana Cake
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This warm and comforting banana cake is loved by kids and adults alike.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
This warm, comforting banana cake is a twist on the classic English dessert, sticky toffee pudding—which is not really pudding at all, but rather a moist cake made with finely chopped dates covered in a sticky toffee sauce. Though it looks impressive, it’s easy to make, and it’s one of the most loved desserts on my website. In fact, one reader wrote to me that she came across the recipe looking for a bake-off contest cake. Trusting the reviews, she made it without doing a trial run and just entered it into the contest. Much to her delight, she won!
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Sticky Toffee Banana Cake
Step-by-Step Instructions
It’s important to use overripe bananas. The browner and spottier, the better. Begin by mashing them in a bowl, then set aside.
Next, whisk together the dry flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter and sugar.
Beat until combined.
Then add the mashed bananas, eggs, lemon juice and vanilla.
Beat until combined.
Then mix in the dry ingredients.
Transfer the batter to a greased and floured 8-inch square baking dish.
And bake for 35 minutes, until golden.
Meanwhile, make the toffee sauce by combining the butter, heavy cream, corn syrup and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Whisk until the sugar dissolves.
Gently boil the sauce, whisking occasionally, until thickened to a syrup consistency, about 15 minutes. If it seems too thin, don’t worry, it will thicken more as it cools. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the toffee sauce over the baked banana cake.
And return to the oven to bake until bubbling, about 6 minutes.
Let the dish cool on a rack, then slice into squares when ready to serve.
Warm the toffee sauce and spoon generously over top. Top with fresh banana slices and chopped pecans, if desired. Enjoy!
Note: The idea for this recipe came from a sticky toffee banana pudding featured in Bon Appetit years ago. I tried the recipe as written but found the cake much too heavy and dense. The banana cake that I’ve used is actually a light and cake-like banana bread baked in a cake pan instead of a loaf pan; it’s much better! The toffee sauce has been modified as well.
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Sticky Toffee Banana Cake
This warm and comforting banana cake is loved by kids and adults alike.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1¾ cups cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with a knife
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup very ripe mashed bananas, from 2-3 spotty bananas
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Toffee Sauce
- 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Pinch salt
For Serving
- Sliced perfectly ripe bananas
- Chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour an 8x8-inch baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix the melted butter and sugar until blended. Add the eggs, mashed bananas, lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix well.
- On low speed, stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Do not over mix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce. Bring the heavy cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt to a boil in a heavy small saucepan over high heat, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook at a gentle boil, whisking occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. It should be the consistency of maple syrup -- it will continue to thicken as it cools. Remove the sauce from the heat and cool.
- Spoon ⅓ cup of the toffee sauce over top of the baked banana cake. Return the cake to the oven and bake until the sauce is bubbling vigorously, about 6 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for at least 30 minutes. Cut the cake into 9 squares or 12 rectangles. Serve the cake slightly warm or at room temperature with warm toffee sauce and top with sliced bananas and pecans, if desired.
- Note: Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill; then rewarm slightly before using. If it seems too thick, add more heavy cream to thin it to desired consistency.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen (without the toffee sauce) for up to 3 months. Bake the cake for 35 minutes, let it cool completely, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap. Thaw on the countertop the night before you plan to eat it. Before serving, place the cake back in the oven with the toffee sauce and proceed with the recipe from there.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice (nutritional data includes sauce but not optional toppings)
- Calories: 402
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated fat: 13g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Sugar: 27g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Sodium: 231mg
- Cholesterol: 95mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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I don’t even know how comment on this cake, if there was a 10 star option, that would be my rating….this cake is amazing!!! It is simply divine; the banana with the warm toffee is the ultimate combination. The recipe may look a little intimidating at first glance, but it is super easy and is simply perfect as is!
This recipe deserves 20 stars! This recipe is very easy to make. I had to boil/simmer the sauce a little longer but it was worth it. The cake is unbelievable !!! It is very rich and very sweet with amazing flavor. I served mine with fresh vanilla ice cream, cake and drizzled toffee sauce on both with a sprig of mint. Looked beautiful and the room went quiet when being consumed. Ok to make your sauce ahead it reheats nicely. I need to go to confession after this sinful dessert! P.S. A person who hates banana anything LOVED IT!
Love, love, love this cake! I made it tonight with my two boys and it is now their favorite. Thank you for having such an easy to follow web site. Each child was able to follow the recipe and participate.
Omigod – I made it this cake for dessert for the first time I cooked dinner for my new boyfriend. Not gonna lie, it made me look like a domestic goddess. Thanks Jen!
I just realized I don’t have an 8×8 pan. Can I make it in 9×13 instead or is that too large?
Hi Steffanie, Unfortunately, that’s much too large — it will be flat as a pancake 🙂 Do you have a 9×5-inch loaf pan? It will work in that; you would just have slices of cake rather than squares.
I use a 9″ round cake pan when baking this cake and it always turns out beautifully. My family and I love this recipe!
I usually don’t write reviews, but this Banana Cake deserves an exception! It is light and fluffy with an oh so gooey warm and wonderful sauce. My Hubby loved it! And we both wanted a second piece. I went back to my computer printed off the recipe, signed up for Jenn’s newsletter and will definitely be making more of her recipes. It deserves more than 5 stars!
Could this cake be baked and frozen to use at a later date? Have some very ripe bananas that would be perfect for it this weekend! Thanks!
Hi Robin, I do think the cake would freeze well, but without the toffee sauce. I would bake it for 35 minutes, then let it cool, wrap and freeze. When you defrost it, you can place it back in the oven with the toffee sauce and proceed with the recipe from there. Hope you enjoy!
I made this cake last night as a trial run for Thanksgiving and have to say, it was one of the best desserts I have ever made! Can’t wait to make it for friends and family over the holidays. Thanks Jenn for your always reliable recipes!
Excellent! the best banana dessert. My husband loved it and thanks you too.
Made this for an informal dinner party with friend – big hit with kids and adults alike. Sauce is very sweet but cake is airy, so it’s a good balance. Yum!