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Salted Caramel Banana Cake

Salted caramel banana cake is a two-layer, moist banana cake baked until a toothpick comes out clean and cooled before frosting. It’s finished with salted caramel cream cheese frosting between the layers and a dramatic caramel drizzle down the sides with flaky sea salt on top.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana cake layers
  • 3 ripe bananas Mash until smooth.
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 cup butter Softened.
  • 1.5 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.75 cup sour cream
Salted caramel frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese Softened.
  • 0.5 cup butter Softened.
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 0.5 cup salted caramel sauce Store-bought or homemade.
  • 1 flaky sea salt For topping.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Bake the banana cake layers
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease two 8-inch round pans.
  2. Beat the softened butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in the eggs, vanilla, and mashed bananas.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
  4. Fold the dry flour mixture into the wet batter in three additions, then fold in the sour cream with each addition (three total additions).
  5. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Cool the cakes completely before frosting.
Make the salted caramel cream cheese frosting
  1. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
  2. Beat in the powdered sugar, then add the salted caramel sauce and continue beating until fluffy.
Assemble and finish
  1. Place one cooled cake layer on a plate or cake stand and spread frosting over the top.
  2. Stack the second cake layer on top and frost the top and sides.
  3. Drizzle additional salted caramel over the top and down the sides for a dramatic drip effect.
  4. Finish with flaky sea salt on top.

Notes

Pro tip: make sure the cakes are fully cool before frosting so the cream cheese frosting stays thick and doesn’t melt. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze unfrosted cake layers up to 2 months (wrap well) and thaw before frosting. Dietary swap: use lactose-free cream cheese and lactose-free salted caramel sauce for a lactose-reduced version.