Brown Butter Banana Skillet Cake with Strawberries and Pecans

[I] always have the best intentions when I buy a bundle of bananas. ! daydream about protein-packed green smoothies.  I toy with the idea of afternoon snacks with almond butter.  I know I’ll eat them for breakfast with a cup of black coffee and a smile on my face.

Unfortunately, exactly none of that actually happens, and I’m left with a shameful bundle of brown bananas on my countertop a week later.  

It never fails.  It never does.  

A bundle of bananas is meant for cake.  Destiny.  Sightly under baked with strawberries and pecans.  Let’s!  

Make and bake in the skillet!  It’s really the best.  If you aren’t a neurotic food blogger like me, you won’t need a million bowls big and small to bring together this skillet cake.  Just a skillet, and spoon, and good attitude. 

Butter is melted and browned until it smells like warm roasted nuts.   It’s removed form the stove top and then the fun starts.  Lots of stirring fun!  

First, brown sugar meets butter.   

Mashed banana and an egg.  Banana adds mega flavor and moisture and also removes the rotting banana from your countertop and turn it in to cake… so.  WIN.  

Flour, ground cinnamon and nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.  

Dry ingredients for body and flavor.  Baking essentials. 

Whisking the dry ingredients in to the butter, sugar, egg mixture.  

We’re still working in the skillet we’re baking in!  That feels extra satisfying.  

Glossy banana batter plus pecans.  

Pecans are definitely a natural fit.  Also, they fall from the sky in New Orleans so… of course we’re putting them in cake! 

These are the first of the Louisiana strawberries for the year.  I hope that they feel justified on this cake.  I tried to make them proud. 

I like my skillet cakes earnest and slightly under baked.  That gooey center is my absolute dream!   This cake is soft, comforting, spiced nightly, sugared moderately, and otherwise lovely.  

With a banana it’s breakfast cake.  With strawberries it’s an afternoon cake.  If you make a 2pm pot of coffee, it’s afternoon cake.  This skillet dessert is versatile and forgiving and dang delicious anytime of day or night!  

Brown Butter Banana Skillet Cake with Strawberries and Pecans

Print Recipe

Delicious, moist, and super simple skillet cake with strawberries and bananas.

• Author: Joy the Baker
• Prep Time: 20
• Cook Time: 30
• Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 small ripe banana (mashed)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 1 cup hulled and sliced strawberries

Instructions

1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Melt butter in an 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in sugar and vanilla extract and remove from heat. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Allow mixture to stand and cool for about 5 minutes. The mixture should not be super hot when the eggs goes in, or the egg will cook.
3. When the sugar and butter mixture has cooled slightly it will look a bit clumpy, greasy, and broken. That’s ok. The egg will bring it all together.
4. Add the egg and whisk together until smooth. The mixture will be glossy and no longer greasy. Add banana, cinnamon, nutmeg, and stir to combine.
5. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir carefully until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated. Add the pecans and fold together. Spread evenly across the pan and place sliced strawberries on top.
6. Place in the oven.
7. Bake for 18-25 minutes until mixture is dry on top, but still slightly soft in the center. I like to slightly under-bake this cake.
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Top with ice cream and serve warm… with lots of spoons. I like this dish served immediately, but it will last two days, well wrapped, at room temperature.