We’re going bananas for our August Bundt of the Month! In this recipe, bananas Foster gets reworked into a showstopping Bundt cake. Using Nordic Ware’s Jubilee Bundt Pan, this perfectly pocketed Bananas Foster Bundt Cake captures every last drop of Brown Sugar Rum Sauce and vanilla ice cream, making each bite a flavor-filled experience. Instead of relying upon ice cream solely as a garnish, we incorporated melted vanilla ice cream into both the cake and its accompanying sauce. Not only does it add sweet, smooth notes of vanilla to both components, but it also makes for an incredibly moist, dense, and tender cake. Ripe bananas give the cake its signature fruity flavor, and toasted pecans provide the perfect nutty note to balance out the sweetness of the cake. And, as if this dessert couldn’t get any more decadent, we topped it with an extra helping of ice cream, a sprinkle of toasted pecans, and brûléed bananas.
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Bananas Foster Bundt Cake
Makes 1 (10-cup) Bundt cake
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups (300 grams) finely mashed ripe banana (3 to 4 large bananas)
- 1 cup (210 grams) melted vanilla ice cream*, room temperature
- ⅔ cup (147 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
- ⅔ cup (149 grams) vegetable oil
- ½ cup (120 grams) sour cream, room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs (150 grams), room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) dark rum
- 1 teaspoon (6 grams) vanilla bean paste
- 3 cups (375 grams) plus 1 teaspoon (3 grams) all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
- 1¼ teaspoons (3.75 grams) kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (57 grams) finely chopped toasted pecans
- Brown Sugar Rum Sauce (recipe follows)
- Garnish: vanilla ice cream scoops, chopped toasted pecans, brûléed bananas (see Notes)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a large bowl, whisk together mashed banana, melted ice cream, brown sugar, oil, sour cream, granulated sugar, eggs, rum, and vanilla bean paste until well combined, stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 3 cups (375 grams) flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gradually stir flour mixture into banana mixture just until some flour streaks remain.
- In a small bowl, stir together finely chopped pecans and remaining 1 teaspoon (3 grams) flour. Fold pecan mixture into batter just until combined.
- Spray a 10-cup Bundt pan with baking spray with flour. Pour batter into prepared pan. Forcefully tap pan on a kitchen towel-lined counter several times to settle batter and release as many air bubbles as possible.
- Bake for 35 minutes. Rotate pan and loosely cover with foil; bake until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean and an instant-read thermometer registers at least 200°F (93°C), 25 to 30 minutes more. (Cake will bake with a slightly rounded top.) Let cool in pan for 20 minutes. Invert cake onto a wire rack, and let cool completely.
- Using a serrated knife, level bottom of cooled cake. Place cake, cut side down, on a 12-inch rimmed serving platter. Using a spoon, drizzle Brown Sugar Rum Sauce into and over grooves of cake as desired. Pour ½ cup (140 grams) Brown Sugar Rum Sauce into center of cake; garnish with scoops of ice cream, chopped pecans, and brûléed bananas, if desired. Drizzle with more Brown Sugar Rum Sauce; serve immediately with any extra sauce.
Notes
*When selecting a brand of ice cream, we opt for a brand that does not include egg yolks in the ingredient list. Using an ice cream that is made with egg yolks can make a denser and less tender cake.
To brûlée bananas, place ¼-inch-thick banana slices on a heatproof baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon (12 grams) granulated sugar. Using a handheld kitchen torch, carefully and lightly brown sugar.
For an alcohol-free option, you can substitute the rum in the cake and the sauce with rum extract to taste or omit it all together.
To brûlée bananas, place ¼-inch-thick banana slices on a heatproof baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon (12 grams) granulated sugar. Using a handheld kitchen torch, carefully and lightly brown sugar.
For an alcohol-free option, you can substitute the rum in the cake and the sauce with rum extract to taste or omit it all together.
Brown Sugar Rum Sauce
Makes about 2⅓ cups
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (147 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons (36 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (200 grams) melted vanilla ice cream
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, cubed and softened
- ⅓ cup (113 grams) dark corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons (45 grams) dark rum
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, stir together sugars, ice cream, butter, corn syrup, salt, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in rum. Return to heat, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and pour in to a small heatproof bowl. Let cool for 15 minutes before using, stirring occasionally.
CONVERT THIS RECIPE INTO BUNDTLETTES
These sweet Bundtlettes are the answer to your single-serving needs. Follow the recipe below and get ready to share!
Bananas Foster Bundtlettes
Makes 6 Bundtlettes
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (160 grams) finely mashed ripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
- ½ cup (100 grams) melted vanilla ice cream*, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (73 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (75 grams) vegetable oil
- ¼ cup (60 grams) sour cream, room temperature
- 1 large egg (50 grams), room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk (19 grams), room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (24 grams) granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons (7.5 grams) dark rum
- ½ teaspoon (3 grams) vanilla bean paste
- 1½ cups (188 grams) plus ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon (2.25 grams) kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup (28 grams) finely chopped toasted pecans
- Brown Sugar Rum Sauce (recipe follows)
- Garnish: vanilla ice cream scoops, chopped toasted pecans, brûléed bananas (see Notes)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a large bowl, whisk together mashed banana, melted ice cream, brown sugar, oil, sour cream, egg, egg yolk, granulated sugar, rum, and vanilla bean paste until well combined, stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1½ cups (188 grams) flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gradually stir flour mixture into banana mixture just until some flour streaks remain.
- In a small bowl, stir together finely chopped pecans and remaining ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) flour. Fold pecan mixture into batter just until combined.
- Spray a 4- to 5-cup Bundtlette pan with baking spray with flour. Divide batter among prepared wells. Forcefully tap pan on a kitchen towel-lined counter several times to settle batter and release as many air bubbles as possible.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean, 12 to 18 minutes. (Cakes will bake with a slightly rounded top.) Let cool in pan for 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto a wire rack, and let cool completely.
- Using a serrated knife, level bottom of cooled Bundtlettes. Place, cut side down, on a large rimmed serving platter. Using a spoon, drizzle Brown Sugar Rum Sauce over and into center of cakes as desired; garnish with scoops of ice cream, chopped pecans, and brûléed bananas, if desired. Drizzle with more Brown Sugar Rum Sauce; serve immediately with any extra sauce.
Notes
*When selecting a brand of ice cream, we opt for a brand that does not include egg yolks in the ingredient list. Using an ice cream that is made with egg yolks can make a denser and less tender cake.
To brûlée bananas, place ¼-inch-thick banana slices on a heatproof baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon (12 grams) granulated sugar. Using a handheld kitchen torch, carefully and lightly brown sugar.
For an alcohol-free option, you can substitute the rum in the cake and the sauce with rum extract to taste or omit it all together.
To brûlée bananas, place ¼-inch-thick banana slices on a heatproof baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon (12 grams) granulated sugar. Using a handheld kitchen torch, carefully and lightly brown sugar.
For an alcohol-free option, you can substitute the rum in the cake and the sauce with rum extract to taste or omit it all together.
Brown Sugar Rum Sauce
Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (73 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoons (18 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 grams) melted vanilla ice cream
- ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, cubed and softened
- 2½ tablespoons (53 grams) dark corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1½ tablespoons (22.5 grams) dark rum
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, stir together sugars, ice cream, butter, corn syrup, salt, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in rum. Return to heat, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and pour into a small heatproof bowl. Let cool for 15 minutes before using, stirring occasionally.
BUNDTOLOGY
Our Bundtologists share their expert tips to help master our August Bundt. Click the image to enlarge. Note that each of these tips is specific to this recipe and the Jubilee Bundt pan. Results may vary for other recipes and other pans.
