This brown butter banana sheet cake is a sweet banana cake topped with a brown butter cream cheese frosting. It's just like a banana bread in bar form topped with a frosting you can't resist, and so quick to make!

This brown butter banana sheet cake is going to be your new favorite way to use up those brown bananas. The sheet cake is so quick and easy to mix together and the brown butter frosting is so flavorful and the perfect compliment to the banana flavor.
For more ways to use up brown bananas try my banana chocolate chip protein muffins, chocolate chip banana cookies or my banana cream pie with graham cracker crust.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy: This cake is an easy one to make and can be baked and served in less than an hour!
- Brown Butter & Bananas: I truly believe this is a combo that can't be beat.
- Sheet Cake: I love a simple sheet cake that is easy to make and cut for serving a crowd.

Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Butter: I like to use salted butter, but unsalted is great too. You will brown the butter for the frosting, but you can also brown the butter for the cake too. If you want to brown the butter for the cake also, add 2 extra tablespoons of butter to account for the loss of moisture from browning.
- Sugars: You will use both granulated and brown sugar in this cake.
- Bananas: The browner the bananas the sweeter the cake!
- Eggs: Make sure your eggs are room temperature before mixing into the batter.
- Buttermilk: I always try and use a full fat buttermilk if I can find it because it will help the cake be more moist.
- Cream Cheese: Make sure that your cream cheese is soft or it won't blend completely smooth and you'll have little lumps.

Step by Step Instructions

- Step 1: Start by browning the butter for the frosting. You'll take ½ cup (1 stick) of butter, and melt in a medium saucepan, continuing to cook past the point of boiling. You will do this over medium heat, past the point of the butter foaming, until it turns a nice golden brown, and has a nutty smell. Make sure you are stirring and watching it, because it will turn from perfectly brown to burnt fairly quickly. Once finished browning, pour into a cup or bowl and allow to cool. You can put it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to speed it up.

- Step 2: In a large bowl mash brown bananas. Add in melted butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla and mix together until well blended and lighter in color.

- Step 3: Slowly mix in baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and half the flour. Next you'll mix in the buttermilk followed by the remaining flour.

- Step 4: Pour batter evenly into sheet pan.

- Step 5: Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until the edges of the cake are a light golden brown and pulling away from the rim of the pan. Allow to cool.

- Step 6: Cream together browned butter and cream cheese until completely smooth.

- Step 7: Add vanilla, powdered sugar, salt and heavy cream and mix together until completely smooth. You can add a bit more powdered sugar or cream until desired consistency is achieved.

- Step 8: Frost the top of the cooled cake. Slice and enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- If you want to brown the butter for the cake as well I would add 2 extra tablespoons to account for the lost moisture when browning.
- This cake is also so good with the peanut butter frosting from my peanut butter sheet cake.
- Cakes will have the best results if made with room temperature ingredients. I like to pull my butter, eggs, sour cream and buttermilk out of the fridge an hour or two before I start baking.

FAQ
Yes, you can half this recipe (click .5 version) and bake it in a 9x13 pan.
Yes! This cake is excellent subbing in a gluten free 1:1 flour.
Yes, chocolate, white chocolate or cinnamon chips would be a great addition to this cake. Add in 1 cup after the batter is done.

Storing & Freezing
This brown butter banana sheet cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days while remaining fresh. You can also store it in the fridge if you prefer to serve it cold.
This cake freezes well for up to 3 months. Cut into slices and store in a tupperware. When ready to serve, thaw and allow to come to room temperature again.
Other Popular Recipes to Try
For more yummy treats follow me on instagram @thesaltedsweets. And be sure to tag me and comment if you make them and love them as much as I do!

Brown Butter Banana Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Banana Cake:
- 2 cups (300 g) mashed brown bananas 4 large bananas
- ¾ cup (170.25 g) butter melted
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (165 g) brown sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 cups (420 g) all purpose flour
- 1½ cups (360 g) buttermilk room temperature
Brown Butter Frosting:
- ½ cup (113.5 g) butter browned
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) cream cheese room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) salt
- 1-2 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) heavy cream or milk
Instructions
- Start by browning the butter for the frosting. You'll take ½ cup (1 stick) of butter, and melt in a medium saucepan, continuing to cook past the point of boiling. You will do this over medium heat, past the point of the butter foaming, until it turns a nice golden brown, and has a nutty smell. Make sure you are stirring and watching it, because it will turn from perfectly brown to burnt fairly quickly. Once finished browning, pour into a cup or bowl and allow to cool. You can put it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to speed it up.
To make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a half sheet pan (13x18) with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl mash brown bananas. Add in melted butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla and mix together until well blended and lighter in color.
- Slowly mix in baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and half the flour. Next you'll mix in the buttermilk followed by the remaining flour.
- Pour batter evenly into sheet pan.
- Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until the edges of the cake are a light golden brown and pulling away from the rim of the pan. Allow to cool.
To make the frosting:
- Cream together browned butter and cream cheese until completely smooth.
- Add vanilla, powdered sugar, salt and heavy cream and mix together until completely smooth. You can add a bit more powdered sugar or cream until desired consistency is achieved.
- Frost the top of the cooled cake. Slice and enjoy!










Bailey
This dessert is guaranteed to be a crowd favorite! Soo yummy!!
Sandy
This banana sheet cake is moist, delicious and so easy to make. The frosting is absolutely unreal! The brown butter makes it so incredibly delicious! This is a winner in my book!
Sarah
I love banana bread but hate the long baking time and under done center… this recipe fixes both those issues and tastes wonderful! Perfect recipe for a busy family!
Claire
SO SO GOOD! Everyone loved it