Bolo de banana
Upside-down banana cake
Brazilian upside-down banana cake with cinnamon caramel
Ask a Brazilian what was on the table for café da tarde as a child and the answer is often this: a soft cake turned out of its tin with a glossy layer of caramelised banana and cinnamon on top, eaten with a small strong coffee. Home cooks make it with overripe bananas from the fruit bowl, and many mix the batter in a blender. The crumb is light and moist, the top sticky and fragrant. Eggless versions exist, but this one uses eggs for a springier cake. Cooking the caramel too far is the usual slip: once it goes past amber it turns bitter, so pull the pan off the heat while it is still the colour of honey. Chef's tip: cut the bananas lengthwise rather than into rounds; long slices lie flat in neat rows and don't slide when you turn the cake out.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the caramel and topping
- 5 ½ oz sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- 4 ripe bananasfirm but spotty, peeled and halved lengthwise
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the batter
- 3 eggs
- 6 ½ oz sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup milk
- 8 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
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Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Have ready a 22 cm round cake tin without a loose base.
Step 2: Put 5 ½ oz sugar and 3 tbsp water in a small pan over a medium heat. Swirl, without stirring, for 6–8 minutes until it turns a honey-amber colour.
8 minStep 3: Pour the caramel straight into the tin and tilt it to coat the base. Take care: it is very hot.
Step 4: Lay 4 ripe bananas cut side down on the caramel in close rows and sprinkle with 1 tsp ground cinnamon.
Step 5: Blend or whisk 3 eggs, 6 ½ oz sugar, ½ cup vegetable oil, ¾ cup milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract for 1 minute, until frothy.
Step 6: Add 8 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tbsp baking powder and 1 pinch salt and blend or whisk briefly, just until smooth.
Step 7: Pour the batter gently over the bananas so you don't move them.
Step 8: Bake for 40–45 minutes, until risen and deep golden, the top springs back when pressed and a skewer comes out clean.
42 minStep 9: Leave for 5 minutes only, then run a knife round the edge, put a plate on top and turn the cake out. If you wait too long the caramel sets and the bananas stay in the tin.
5 minStep 10: Serve warm or at room temperature, the same day or the next.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bolo de banana take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of ripe bananas?
- Mango, same weight (in smoothies and shakes).
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