Caramel Banana Bread (Upside Down Banana Bread)

This Caramel Banana Bread is a classic brown butter banana bread baked upside down over sliced bananas, crunchy walnuts, and a buttery maple brown sugar caramel. When you flip the loaf out of the pan, that caramel has soaked right into the top of the bread for a sticky, glossy finish that looks like it came straight from a bakery case. The smell of brown butter and bananas baking together is pure comfort, and I love a warm slice with my morning coffee, but it's every bit sweet enough to serve for dessert too!

Love banana recipes? Try my Double Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread or this Southern Chessmen Cookie Banana Pudding.

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Why You’ll Love This Caramel Banana Bread!

Banana bread was something my mom made often when I was growing up, and she always made two loaves at a time because they never lasted long! One of my favorite ways to eat it was as a banana bread and peanut butter sandwich packed in my lunch box. For this caramel banana bread, I took her classic recipe and gave it a little twist by swapping the vegetable oil for rich, nutty brown butter and adding a caramelized brown sugar topping. I think she would approve of this updated version of one of my favorite childhood recipes!

Here's why this upside down banana bread deserves a spot in your baking rotation:

• Brown butter makes all the difference: Browning the butter adds a toasty, nutty flavor that you just don't get from oil. It only takes a few extra minutes, and it's so worth it!
• The topping bakes right in: No frosting or glaze needed. The caramel and banana slices bake in the bottom of the pan and become the prettiest topping once you flip the loaf.
• A great way to use up ripe bananas: Those spotty bananas on your counter are exactly what you want for the batter.
• Perfect for breakfast or dessert: Enjoy it warm with coffee in the morning or serve it after dinner with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Equipment Needed

• 9x5 inch loaf pan
• Parchment paper
• Small saucepan, for browning the butter and making the caramel
• Heat-safe glass measuring cup
• Whisk
• Large mixing bowl
• Medium mixing bowl, for the flour mixture
• Fork or hand mixer, for mashing the bananas
• Rubber spatula
• Baking sheet, to catch any caramel drips
• Aluminum foil
• Kitchen towel
• Serving plate or platter

Key Ingredients

Banana Bread

Unsalted butter: This is the star of my brown butter banana bread! Browning the butter brings out a rich, nutty flavor. You'll start with a little more than you need since some of it cooks off as it browns.

Very ripe bananas: The riper the better! Bananas with lots of brown spots are sweeter, softer, and much easier to mash into the batter.

Eggs: Help bind the batter together and give the bread structure.

Granulated sugar and light brown sugar: Using both sugars gives the bread the perfect amount of sweetness, and the brown sugar adds a little extra moisture and caramel flavor.

Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and rounds out the banana flavor.

All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt: The base of the bread. The baking powder and baking soda work together to give the loaf a nice rise and a tender crumb.

Cinnamon: Just enough to add a hint of warm spice without overpowering the bananas.

Chopped walnuts: Some get stirred into the batter and some get sprinkled into the caramel topping for a little crunch in every bite.

Caramel Topping

Banana: For the topping, you'll want a banana that is ripe but still firm so the slices hold their shape while baking.

Unsalted butter and light brown sugar: These melt together into a simple, buttery caramel.

Pure maple syrup: Adds a deeper sweetness and makes the caramel extra glossy.

Vanilla extract and sea salt: A splash of vanilla and a pinch of salt balance out all of that sweetness.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter and line it with parchment paper.

Slice the firmer, not-so-ripe banana and arrange the slices in the bottom of the loaf pan. Since you'll be flipping the loaf once it's baked, this will become the top of the bread.

Banana Bread

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add 9 tablespoons of butter. Whisk the butter as it melts and begins to bubble and foam. After about 5 to 6 minutes, it will turn a golden brown color and smell nutty.

Once the butter has browned, remove it from the heat and pour it into a glass measuring cup. You should have about ½ cup. Make sure to scrape all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan into the cup, because that's where all of the amazing flavor is! Set it aside to cool.

While the butter cools, mash the 3 ripe bananas in a large bowl with a fork or hand mixer.

Once the butter has cooled, add it to the mashed bananas and mix well. Mix in the eggs, both sugars, and the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture just until no white streaks remain. Set the batter aside while you make the caramel.

Caramel

In the same small saucepan over medium heat, melt ¼ cup of butter. Add the brown sugar and whisk until the sugar dissolves into the butter, then stir in the maple syrup.

Bring the mixture to a boil and let it boil for 1 minute while whisking. Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the vanilla and a pinch of sea salt.

Pour the caramel into the loaf pan over the sliced banana. Sprinkle about ¼ cup of the walnuts into the open spaces between the banana slices.

Stir the remaining walnuts into the banana bread batter, then gently spread the batter into the pan, being careful not to disturb the caramel layer.

Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet to catch any caramel that bubbles over, then bake for 65 to 70 minutes. If the top starts to get too brown, loosely cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 to 12 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a plate. The pan will still be very warm, so use a kitchen towel to protect your hands.

You can slice it right away and enjoy it warm, but you'll get cleaner slices if you let it cool a bit longer. (I could not wait!)

Expert Tips

This is my favorite way to make the best caramel banana bread, and these tips will help yours turn out perfectly every time.

• Start with 9 tablespoons of butter for the bread. Some of the butter evaporates as it browns, and this gets you right around ½ cup.
• Keep whisking while the butter browns and pull it off the heat as soon as it turns golden and smells nutty so it doesn't burn.
• Let the brown butter cool before adding it to the bananas and eggs so the eggs don't start to cook.
• Use a firmer banana for the topping. Very ripe bananas are perfect for the batter, but they can turn mushy on top of the bread.
• Mix the batter just until the flour disappears. Overmixing can make the bread dense.
• Don't skip the baking sheet under the loaf pan! It saves you from cleaning caramel off the bottom of your oven.
• Flip the loaf after 10 to 12 minutes of cooling while the caramel is still warm, so it releases easily from the parchment.

Storage

Store leftover caramel banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Individual slices can also be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature or warm them in the microwave for a few seconds.

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