Upside-Down Banana Cake
Loading Video...
Recipe courtesy of Gale Gand

Upsidedown Hazelnut Banana Cake

Getting reviews...
One of my first baking experiences with out my mom was banana bread. I was in art school away from home for the first time and of course, a vegetarian. I worked at a vegetarian restaurant and did some baking for it while I waitressed making $2.00 an hour plus $2.00 worth of food off the menu. I?d order a salad for $1.25 and my boyfriend Brian would come up to my work and eat the other .75 in a carob sundae?and that?s all we could afford to eat all day! I also would pick dandelions out of the cemetery near our apartment while walking home from college to our apartment (we couldn?t afford a car) and would cook them with onion soup boullion for our dinner. I weighed 112 then?In my hand-written recipe books, it?s the first recipe I ever wrote, so me and banana bread go way back. This one is dressed up with an ooooy gooooy nutty caramel top of brown sugar and butter which help slowly baste the banana slices as they bake in the oven. Pineapple upside down-cake move over!
  • Level: Easy
  • Total: 1 hr 30 min
  • Prep: 30 min
  • Cook: 1 hr
  • Yield: 2 cups
Share This Recipe

Ingredients

Hazelnut Schmear:

Directions

Special equipment:
9-inch cake pan
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter the cake pan. 
  2. Toast the nuts and let them cool completely. 
  3. In a food processor, grind the nuts with the sugar until very fine. 
  4. Using a hand-held mixer, cream the butter; then add the sugar mixture. Add the eggs and mix. Add the sour cream and vanilla and stir. Mix in the banana puree. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt to make a smooth batter. 
  5. To bake, cover the bottom of the cake pan with some of the warmed hazelnut schmear (microwave 40 seconds or so). Fan some banana slices over it and spoon in the batter. 
  6. Bake until just set, about 35 to 40 minutes. Keep warm in a low oven and turn it out at the last minute.

Hazelnut Schmear:

  1. Melt the butter. Remove from the heat and whisk in the brown sugar and the nuts. Store in the refrigerator.

Choose a topic to find related recipes.

Fudge Factor

Train Frontman Pat Monahan's Dark Chocolate Obsession Feb 11, 2013

By: Cameron Curtis

Train frontman Pat Monahan, an avid chocolate lover, shared with us his top five reasons for eating dark chocolate.

Over-the-Top-Delicious Treats to Satisfy Your Food Obsession

Are you infatuated with ice cream? Do you lust over lobster? Swoon at the sight of chocolate? Here's the best recipe for each food …

Review: Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert's Chocolate Bar Nov 16, 2012

Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert have teamed up with master chocolatier Christopher Curtin to create the "Good & Evil" chocolate b …

The Craziest Chocolate Creations for American Chocolate Week Mar 17, 2013

It’s officially American Chocolate Week. Check out photos of mind-blowing chocolate creations.

Sifted: Plan-Ahead Valentine's Day Desserts Feb 6, 2013

By: Lauren Miyashiro

Get our take on the best in food news, recipes and more from around the web, including the best Valentine's Day recipes.

Chocolate Desserts

Indulge in our decadent chocolate desserts, from cookies and cakes to puddings, souffles and truffles.