Banana Walnut Upside Down Cake

Four large bananas sliced on the diagonal and arranged in overlapping concentric circles over a brown sugar-maple caramel and chopped walnuts. When you flip this cake, that sticky bottom becomes a glossy, golden crown.

The caramel layer builds from brown sugar and butter melted together on the stovetop, then poured into the cake pan. Pure maple syrup goes over that, adding a deeper, more complex sweetness than brown sugar alone delivers. The walnuts scattered on top of the caramel sit between the bananas and the sugar, where they toast during baking and absorb just enough caramel to become candied.

The cake batter is a straightforward butter cake with cinnamon, creamed until light and fluffy, then built with alternating additions of flour and milk in three rounds. That technique keeps the batter smooth and prevents the milk from curdling the butter. One cup of flour and six tablespoons of milk make a thin cake layer that bakes through completely while the bananas caramelize beneath.

The 30-minute cooling time on a rack before inverting is not optional. The caramel needs to set slightly so it clings to the bananas and cake rather than running off like a liquid when you flip. Three minutes of standing with the pan still on top lets gravity pull the last of the caramel down onto the cake surface.

Kitchen Tips

• Use ripe but firm bananas. Overripe bananas turn to mush during the 55-minute bake. You want slices that hold their shape.
• Run a knife around the edges before inverting. One stuck spot can pull the entire caramel top off with the pan.
• Serve warm, not hot. The flavors develop as it cools, and the caramel firms into a sticky glaze rather than a runny sauce.

Variations

• Pecan version: Swap walnuts for toasted pecans for a more Southern-style upside-down cake.
• Rum caramel: Add 2 tablespoons of dark rum to the brown sugar-butter mixture for a boozy, Caribbean-inspired twist.