banana upside-down cake

Name: Banana Upside-Down Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup(s) brown sugar, firmly packed; 6 tablespoon(s) butter, cut into small pieces; 1/4 cup(s) Kirsch (cherry brandy), optional; 6-8 - bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise; 1 jar(s) maraschino cherries, drained and lightly chopped (10 oz); 1 box(es) banana flavored cake mix, plus ingredients per box; 1/4 cup(s) poppy seeds, optional

(6 RATINGS)

8.20K Pinches 15 Photos

Bruce Tracy

Ogden, UT

Updated on Sep 1, 2023

I tried this first in a cast iron Dutch oven, and because not everyone has that type of pot, I converted it to a more common cake pan. If you bake this in a Dutch (camp) oven, use 2 cake mix boxes.

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Slices cut from the Banana Upside-Down Cake.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Yum, yum, yum! This banana upside-down cake is fantastic. Enjoy warm and cold... it's delicious both ways. Bananas are the star of this dessert. The banana flavor from the cake mix and the warm caramelized bananas on top are divine. We love the flavor cherries add. They are sweet but not overly sweet and pair well with the banana flavor.

— The Test Kitchen

prep time 20 Min

cook time 40 Min

method Bake

yield 12-15 serving(s)

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
6 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup Kirsch (cherry brandy), optional
6-8 - bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise
1 jar maraschino cherries, drained and lightly chopped (10 oz)
1 box banana flavored cake mix, plus ingredients per box
1/4 cup poppy seeds, optional

How To Make banana upside-down cake

Test Kitchen Tips

A butter cake mix with 1 tsp of banana extract can be substituted for a banana cake mix. If you do not want to use the brandy but want the flavor, substitute with 1/4 cup water and 1 1/2 tsp almond extract.

Step 1

Evenly spread the brown sugar and butter in the bottom of 9x13 cake pan. Pour in the optional Kirsch.

Step 2

Press the bananas, flat side down, into the brown sugar and butter. Sprinkle chopped cherries over the bananas.
Step 3

Prepare the cake mix according to box directions and carefully pour over the fruit. Sprinkle the poppy seeds over the batter.
Step 4

Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for about 40 minutes. Check with a toothpick or table knife and add a few more minutes if not done. It will pull away from the edges a bit when ready.
Step 5

Let it cool for 20 minutes. Place a cutting board on the cake pan and then flip it over. Serve from the cutting board. Note: The alcohol in the Kirsch evaporates, leaving a slightly nutty cherry taste.
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