¡Hola! Amigos, que pasta? Or should I say, que pastel? Oh, I’m so muy funny!!
How was your weekend? Did you watch the Oscar’s? I’m happy to report that I made my husband invite us over to our friends Tony and Tuya’s house because they have two essential elements we lack at ours: a TV and cable.
We watched the red carpet (who knew Kevin Hart was so short? Or Jennifer Jason Leigh so drunk?) Chris Rock (overall very funny) and all the really boring behind-the-scenes awards that no one really cares about and then went home because it was a school night.
It is not often that I miss having a television, I mean, hello? Who needs cable when you can watch all the same stuff on Hulu for free? But there are a few days out of the year when live TV is essential, so while I’m at it, Tony. Tuya. I’ll be parking my butt on your couch for about 15 days in August for the summer olympics, ‘kay?
Don’t worry, I’ll bring cake.
In particular, this cake. This coffee and walnut cake made with butter and sour cream. The bottom, (which becomes the top in an inverted post-baking move my son declared, “genius”) is a spiced dulce de leche-rum mixture and sliced bananas reminiscent of that glorious New Orleans dessert, Bananas Foster.
Shall we?
First things first, instead of making a fussy caramel sauce we are going to use store-bought dulce de leche. Nestlé La Lechera makes an excellent canned dulce de leche and can be found in most grocery stores where the other Mexican ingredients are sold.
This along with bananas becomes the bottom, which later becomes the top of the cake. You want to use firm, not super-ripe bananas. If they are too ripe, they will fall apart while baking. Cut them on the bias if you’d like and make a pretty pattern or just throw them in an even layer on the bottom, it will taste good either way.
The coffee-walnut cake batter goes on top and then the whole thing goes in the oven for about an hour. After a short rest the cake gets flipped upside down and the bananas come out on top.
Heat the remaining dulce de leche until it is pourable and drizzle it over the top. Traditionally Bananas Foster is served with ice cream and there’s no reason to break with tradition here.
Bananas Foster Upside Down Cake Recipe
Cake is best eaten right away, but will keep covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Yield: 12 Servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 (13.4 ounce) can dulce de leche, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons spiced rum
- 3 firm bananas, sliced on the bias
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325°F and arrange rack in the middle. Grease a 10-inch cake pan and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine 1/2 cup dulce de leche, allspice, nutmeg, and rum in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour into cake pan and smooth. Arrange banana slices on top.
- Combine flour, espresso, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk break up any lumps.
- Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, letting the first one incorporate before adding the next. Add sour cream and beat until fully combined, scrapping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Add flour mixture and walnuts and mix on low, just until flour is fully incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Pour batter on top of bananas and smooth top. Place cake pan on baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake until cake is set, about 1 hour. Cake will be done when a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs and the cake is firm in the middle.
- Let cake cool on a wire rack about 15-20 minutes. While cake is cooling, heat remaining dulce de leche over low heat, stirring until melted and pourable. Run a butter knife around the edge, then invert onto a cake stand or serving plate. Drizzle top with dulce de leche and serve.
One More Thing
Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Knowing that this recipe worked for you is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.
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This recipe was made with help from Nestlé La Lechera.
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i’ve made something like this once or thrice, but my mistake was not using actual dulce de leche–what delicious and beautiful results!
Yes, Grace, you MUST try it with dulce de leche, simply dreamy!!
OH, Kate. I think I just drooled a bit on my keyboard. I cannot WAIT to try this one! It looks so incredible.
Your poor keyboard, Leigh! LOL!! Thank you.
Amazing cake! I love dulce de leche, I cannot buy it here but I’ve made it once by cooking two cans of sweetened condensed milk. It was delicious, I have to make it again soon.
Thank you Adina! Have you tried making it in the slow cooker? Just pour the milk in there and let it boil away, super simple!
When you first incorporate the dulce de leche do you have to heat it up?
Great question Laura. Most store-bought brands are pourable so you don’t need to heat it up unless it is super thick in which case, you can transfer it to a microwave-safe container and microwave it for 15 seconds or warm it gently on the stove in a small saucepan.
Can you make this w/o the espresso??
Yep, absolutely Angie. It is just there for flavor.