BANANAS FOSTER UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Bananas Foster Upside-Down Cake image

Provided by Kardea Brown

Categories dessert

Time 1h15m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

1 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
3 tablespoons dark rum
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 ripe bananas, sliced lengthwise
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk

Steps:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
For the topping: Melt together the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, salt and allspice over medium-high heat in a 9- or 10-inch cast-iron skillet, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a bubble and let the syrup cook until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully stir in the dark rum (see Cook's Note) and vanilla, then return the pan to the heat for 1 minute. Arrange the banana slices cut side down on top of the syrup.
For the cake: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and nutmeg in a large bowl.
Beat together the brown sugar, granulated sugar and butter in a stand mixer or electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl down after each addition. Beat in the mashed bananas and vanilla until incorporated. Beat in the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, scraping down the bowl to ensure all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Carefully, spread the batter over the top of the bananas in the skillet. Place a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven to catch any spillage! Bake until a tester comes out with some moist crumbs sticking to it, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before running a paring knife along the sides and inverting onto a serving platter while still warm.