What is an upside down cake?

Put simply, it is a cake that is baked ‘upside down’ in one tin (or in this case, one frying pan) with the decoration at the bottom. Once baked, it is turned out ‘upside down’ to reveal the top. Although I have used bananas in this recipe, arguably the most famous version is a pineapple upside down cake (you can use lots of different fruits). It is a similar principle to making a tarte tatin, except a tarte tatin features pastry instead of cake batter and can be sweet or savoury.

What to serve with this Caramelised Banana Upside Down Cake?

I love the combination of warm puddings with cold ice cream or cream. Vanilla ice cream compliments the banana and caramel flavours really well. You could also go full-on comfort vibes and serve with custard if you prefer. If you want to add a bit of texture, a sprinkling of chopped nuts (walnuts or hazelnuts) would also work well.

Does this have to be served warm?

Not at all. I think it is best served warm but that is down to personal preference. You can serve it at room temperature or cold if you prefer.

Caramelised Banana Upside Down Cake

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A surprisingly simple cake to make given that it looks fairly impressive. This caramelised upside down banana cake is the perfect cake for a lazy weekend or special afternoon tea.

Author: Margie
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: Serves 6-8 1x
Category: Baking
Method: Oven
Cuisine: British
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

For the banana base:

50g butter
45g soft light brown sugar
3 ripe bananas
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

For the cake topping:

1 ripe banana, mashed
2 tbsp of natural yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
80g of butter, softened
150g caster sugar
2 large eggs
175g self-raising flour

To serve: (optional)

Vanilla ice cream
Double cream

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170C Fan.
For the banana base: melt the butter in a 20 cm (8-inch) non-stick oven-proof deep frying pan. Add the sugar and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.
Slice the bananas lengthways and arrange snuggly in a pretty layer cut side down in the pan (this is what you will see when you turn the cake out). Squeeze over a little lemon juice and remove from the heat.
For the cake topping: in a large mixing bowl, mix together the mashed banana, yoghurt and vanilla extract. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric beater until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in a few tablespoons of the flour, followed by the banana-yoghurt mixture. Repeat until all of both mixtures have been added and fully combined.
Carefully spoon the mixture over the banana caramel layer and spread in an even layer. Place in the oven and cook for about 40-50 minutes - or until golden brown, firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 5-10 minutes, then turn out onto a flat plate.
Cut into slices and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if wished.

Find it online: https://desertislanddishes.co/caramelised-upside-down-banana-cake/