Strawberry banana upside down cake is a delicious and unique twist on the classic upside-down cake. This dessert is perfect for any occasion and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. It's a dense banana cake layer, like a banana bread bar, covered with a jammy layer of fresh strawberries. This dessert is a great way to enjoy the sweet and juicy flavors of strawberries and bananas in a delightful and unexpected way.
We are all about strawberry desserts at our house. Every year we eat an embarrassing number of gallon buckets of fresh strawberries when they're in season. If you're like us and you can't get enough fresh strawberries, check out my gluten free strawberry cake or this strawberry apple pie.
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Why You'll Love this Upside Down Cake Recipe
- The cake portion is as easy to make as banana bread and doesn't require a mixer.
- The strawberries can be replaced for any fresh berry in season.
- It's gluten free & dairy free.
- It's a perfect light dessert topped with coconut whipped cream!
Ingredients
- Gluten Free 1-to1 Flour Blend - I use Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Flour Blend for most of my recipes. I think it works great for cakes. You can use the flour blend of your choice, but make sure it contains xanthan gum.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder - to help the cake rise.
- Vanilla, Cinnamon & Salt - extra layers of flavor.
- Oil - You can use any light flavored cooking oil. I use either melted coconut oil or olive oil, as shown in the photo above.
- Sugar & Light Brown Sugar - the combination of sugars compliment the flavor of the fruit while keeping the cake moist.
- Egg & Egg Yolk - These provide the structure for the cake. I have not tried the recipe with egg replacers, but adding a third banana in place of the egg would be a good option.
- Bananas - The recipe calls for ⅔ cup of mashed banana. You want to use overripe bananas for the most flavor. You should need about 2 medium sized bananas for this recipe.
For the topping you will need fresh strawberries, brown sugar and cornstarch.
See the recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Make it Vegan / Egg Free - Replace the eggs with an extra mashed banana. The cake will be a little denser, but still delicious.
- No strawberries - Replace strawberries with fresh blueberries for an amazing variation!
- Make it corn free - Replace corn starch with arrowroot powder or tapioca starch in the same measure.
How to make a strawberry upside down cake
STEP 1: Place sliced strawberries, brown sugar and starch into a medium sized bowl. Stir until the berries are well coated with the sugar. Allow the berries to sit while you prepare the cake batter.
STEP 2: Prepare the cake batter as instructed in the recipe card. Then line the bottom of your prepared pan with a single layer of sugar coated strawberry slices.
STEP 3: Spoon the batter onto the strawberry slices, being careful not to disturb the pattern.
STEP 4: Spread the batter into an even layer with an offset spatula. Bake!
Recipe FAQs
This cake is best served the day it is baked. But if you do have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The cake will stay good for 3-4 days.
To serve, reheat an individual slice in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. And we love ours topped with a dollop of coconut whipped cream.
When people baked over and open fire, they used a cast iron pan and so fruit was layered on the bottom to create a jammy topping.
You need to let this cake cool for about 10 minutes before flipping it. Be careful because the fruit will still be hot. If you wait until the cake is cool, the strawberry topping will stick to the pan.
If you're looking for more ideas for ripe bananas, check out these great recipes!
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Gluten Free Strawberry Banana Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- ⅔ Cup Mashed Bananas 2 medium bananas
- 1 ½ Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend I use Bob's Red Mill
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ⅓ Cup Oil olive oil or melted coconut oil
- ½ Cup Sugar
- ½ Cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
For the topping
- 1 pound Strawberries sliced
- ¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoon Cornstarch or Arrowroot Powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper.
- Place the sliced berries into a large bowl. Combine the brown sugar and cornstarch and pour over the berries. Stir gently to coat the berries with the sugar. Set aside to rest while you mix the cake.1 pound Strawberries, ¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar, 2 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix well and set aside.1 ½ Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend, ½ teaspoon Baking Soda, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Cinnamon, ½ teaspoon Salt, ½ Cup Sugar, ½ Cup Light Brown Sugar
- In a second bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy.1 Egg, 1 Egg Yolk
- Add the melted coconut oil and vanilla to the eggs. Whisk until smooth.⅓ Cup Oil, 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- Add the egg mixture and the mashed banana to the dry ingredients. Fold together with a spatula until the flour is incorporated.⅔ Cup Mashed Bananas
- Line the bottom of the pan with your sugared strawberries. Do not pour the liquid into the pan.
- Spoon the cake batter on top of the berries, so as not to disturb your pattern.
- Gently spread the batter around on top of the strawberries using an offset spatula.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until top springs back when gently poked.
- Remove and cool in pan for 10 minutes, then gently flip over onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
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