Name: Sticky Banana Toffee Coffee Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 3 bananas (overripe, mashed); ½ cup unsalted butter (melted); ¾ cup granulated sugar; 2 eggs (room temperature); 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp cinnamon; ½ cup plain Greek yogurt; 1¼ cups all-purpose flour; ¾ tsp baking soda; ½ tsp salt; ½ cup brown sugar; 1 tbsp instant espresso (or ground coffee); 1 tsp cinnamon; ½ cup all purpose flour; 1½ tbsp granulated sugar; ¼ cup unsalted butter (chilled); 1 cup granulated sugar; 5 tbsp unsalted butter; ¼ cup heavy cream; ¼ cup coffee

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I took two of the best baked goods (banana bread and coffee cake) and threw them into one – and then covered it with sweet sauce. This hybrid sticky banana toffee coffee cake is a scrumptious dessert that will satisfy any sweet tooth without being too complicated.

What is sticky banana toffee coffee cake?

So…what is in this delectable confection? The base is essentially a standard banana bread mixture, with mashed bananas, sugar, plain yogurt, cinnamon and flour. I love how coffee cakes typically have a streusel topping, which involves a mixture of butter, flour and sugar to create those soft clumps across the cake. Coffee cakes often have a “ribbon” in the center, which is usually a cinnamon-sugary swirl. Coffee cakes don’t necessarily mean they have coffee in them, but I do add a bit because I love how it compliments the banana flavor.

Now…I also really love a sticky pudding (like my Sticky Date Cake with Butterscotch Sauce), which is why I finished it off with a caramel-coffee sauce that we pour onto the final bake. This part will make the cake extra moist and flavorful and it really takes it to the next level. Basically, this recipe is just to prove that you can have it all.

Equipment needed for sticky banana toffee coffee cake

Here’s what you need to make this recipe:

An 8 inch-square metal pan – Be mindful that glass pans do not conduct heat the same way, so you risk over baking if you follow the below recipe. If that’s all you have, I recommend cutting the bake time by 10 minutes or so as the glass will continue to cook the cake for a while after you remove it from the oven.
parchment paper – so your coffee cake doesn’t stick to the pan.
A large mixing bowl
A smaller bowl – to make the streusel and the coffee cake ribbon.
A saucepan – to make the toffee sauce.
Whisk
Rubber spatula

What you need to make sticky banana toffee coffee cake

This recipe requires a few different steps. Luckily, you will mostly need sugar and other pantry baking staples:

Bananas – make sure they are overripe (they can be very brown or nearly black)
butter – around 2 sticks
brown and white sugar
vanilla extract
all purpose flour
baking soda
salt
cinnamon
heavy cream – although you could opt for something like coconut cream or half and half if you wanted.
instant coffee or espresso – I incorporate this into the coffee ribbon in the center of the cake. You can easily omit if you want.
brewed coffee – I add this to the toffee sauce. You can also omit if you want to leave it out.

Tips for making sticky banana toffee coffee cake

Use room temperature ingredients – especially the eggs. Cold eggs can cause our melted butter to firm up unevenly and cause an uneven bake!

Don’t over mix the batter – once the wet ingredients absorb the dry, be done! Over mixing activates gluten and will make the cake dense and tough.

Chill your streusel – If you’re having a tough time with the streusel and it’s too soft, pop it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to firm it up.

How to make sticky banana toffee coffee cake

Let’s make it together!

Step 1

Start with the cake. Line your pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350℉. In a large bowl, mash the bananas until no lumps remain. Then add the melted butter and sugar. Whisk until no lumps remain. Add the eggs, vanilla and cinnamon and whisk again. Then add the Greek yogurt and whisk until all combined.

Step 2

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Then add it to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined with a rubber spatula.

Step 3

Make the coffee sugar ribbon. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and espresso granules.

Step 4

Layer half of the banana cake batter into the bottom of your pan and smooth it out. Sprinkle the coffee sugar mixture in an even layer on top of the batter. Then gently spoon the rest of the batter on top of the sugar mixture and spread it into one even layer.

layering banana batter into the bottom of the pan

Step 5

Make the streusel. In a bowl, add the flour and sugar. Add the butter and mix the mixture with your fingers. If the mixture is too wet, add flour by the tablespoon until the mixture becomes crumbly and forms little balls.

Step 6

Sprinkle the streusel on top of the cake in an even layer. Then place it in the center rack of the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a knife comes out almost entirely clean when inserted.

Step 7

While the cake is baking, make the toffee sauce. In a saucepan, add the sugar and heat over medium high heat. Stir occasionally and let it melt completely, about 4-5 minutes. It will look clumpy at first before it completely melts into liquid.

Step 8

Remove the pan from the stove and immediately add the butter. It will bubble, but just stir until it is completely melted. Then stir in the heavy cream and the coffee. Place it back on the heat and let it simmer for five minutes to let it thicken. Stir frequently. Let it cool for 5 minutes.

Step 9

Once the cake is done, take a skewer and poke small holes into the cake, piercing only about ¾ths of the way through (all over). Spoon the sauce over the cake, allowing the cake to absorb it. Let it sit for about 30 minutes before serving.

Other recipes to try

If you liked this sticky banana toffee coffee cake, check out these other recipes:

Banana Nutella Muffins

Banana Bread Blondies with Caramel Frosting

Marbled Banana Bread

Sticky Date Cake with Butterscotch Sauce

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