Gluten Free Brown Sugar Banana Cake with Cinnamon Penuche Frosting
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Enjoy the warm caramely flavors of this rich Gluten Free Brown Sugar Banana Cake with Cinnamon Penuche Frosting. Cinnamon, brown sugar, and banana come together in one perfectly decadent dessert.
Author: Brielle
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 12-16 peices
Ingredients
- For the cake:
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1 tablespoon molasses, or 2 tablespoons extra brown sugar.
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your all-purpose flour blend already contains it)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 cups high quality gluten free all-purpose flour (or my blend of ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons white rice flour, ½ cup brown rice flour, ⅓ cup sorghum flour, ⅓ cup tapioca starch, ¼ cup potato starch)
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1½ cups mashed ripened bananas (about 3)
- For the frosting:
- ½ cup butter (1 stick)
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- dash of salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½-3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1¾ cup powdered sugar
- For the ganache (optional):
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- ⅔ cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8" round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Lightly dust with any gluten free flour if not using a nonstick pan. Set aside.
- Begin making cake. In a large bowl or in a stand mixer, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until each one is incorporated. Scrape down sides as needed. Add vanilla and molasses and mix until smooth.
- In a smaller mixing bowl, sift together baking powder, baking soda, salt, xanthan gum (if needed), cinnamon, and flours of choice (all-purpose or my suggested blend).
- Add half of the dry mixture to the mixing bowl and mix on low until combined. Add sour cream and mix until smooth. Add remaining flour and mix until combined.
- Add soupy, mashed bananas and mix on low until well incorporated.
- Let sit for 10 minutes. Stir with a spatula. Divide batter between cake pans and bake at 350 degrees in center of the oven for about 35 minutes or until cake bounces back at touch of a finger and toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean with very few moist crumbs.
- Remove cake from oven and set on cooling rack. Let cool for 10-15 mintues. Run knife around the edges to loosen from pan and gently flip cakes, one at a time, onto palms, remove the parchment paper, and flip back right side up directly onto cooling racks. Allow to completely cool.
- While cake is cooling, begin making frosting. Melt one stick of butter in a saucepan over low heat until melted. Add 1 cup of dark brown sugar. Stir until completely dissolved. Bring to a low boil and cook for 2 mins, stirring constantly. Slowly pour in milk, whisking vigorously. Add vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Bring back to a low boil and cook 2 mins more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Pour into a mixing bowl and allow to cool to lukewarm.
- Once mixture is lukewarm, add powdered sugar, starting with 1½ cups. Stir or beat until smooth. Add more sugar if needed. Frost and layer cake immediately. Frosting with set quickly. Add a small amount of warm water to frosting if you need to smooth it out or make it more spreadable.
- Immediately garnish with toffee bits on top if not using chocolate gananache.
- For chocolate ganache, place chocolate chips in a small bowl. Heat heavy cream in microwave for 1 minute. Remove. Pour in chocolate chips. Let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Pour over cake and allow to sit for 5 minutes to slightly set. Sprinkle toasted nuts or toffee bits on top.
- Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in fridge for up to 1 week, or in freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Notes
NOTES ON THE RECIPE:
You may use your own gluten free flour blend. I can't guarantee the texture unless you use my recommended blend, but it should work fine. Do NOT add extra xanthan gum if your blend already contains it.
Use super ripe bananas!!! Whenever making banana bread, muffins, or cake always use extremely spotted bananas (almost fully black) to achieve the best taste and texture.
Opt for dark brown sugar as opposed to light. It gives a deeper, rich flavor.
For the frosting, heat your butter and sugar on low until they are fully combined. Then bring to a low boil. If you heat them too quickly, it will separate and the sugar will burn. Don't worry. It's not too hard. Just follow the directions and you will have a lovely frosting.
Frost the cake quickly. Once the cake has completely cooled, make sure to frost it quickly. The frosting sets quickly and then cannot be spread easily.
If your ganache is too thin after stirring, add a few more chocolate chips and stir until melted. If it is too thick, heat up two tablespoons more of cream for 15 seconds and stir into chocolate mixture. Repeat if necessary. Ganache will thicken, though, as it cools.
You may use your own gluten free flour blend. I can't guarantee the texture unless you use my recommended blend, but it should work fine. Do NOT add extra xanthan gum if your blend already contains it.
Use super ripe bananas!!! Whenever making banana bread, muffins, or cake always use extremely spotted bananas (almost fully black) to achieve the best taste and texture.
Opt for dark brown sugar as opposed to light. It gives a deeper, rich flavor.
For the frosting, heat your butter and sugar on low until they are fully combined. Then bring to a low boil. If you heat them too quickly, it will separate and the sugar will burn. Don't worry. It's not too hard. Just follow the directions and you will have a lovely frosting.
Frost the cake quickly. Once the cake has completely cooled, make sure to frost it quickly. The frosting sets quickly and then cannot be spread easily.
If your ganache is too thin after stirring, add a few more chocolate chips and stir until melted. If it is too thick, heat up two tablespoons more of cream for 15 seconds and stir into chocolate mixture. Repeat if necessary. Ganache will thicken, though, as it cools.
Recipe by Breezy Bakes at https://www.breezybakes.com/gluten-free-banana-cake/