Jessica A. Zelenak, MPA

This recipe pairs a beautifully caramelized strawberry base with an incredibly moist banana, yogurt, and almond cake layer. By baking the fruit right at the bottom of the pan with a touch of butter and brown sugar, the strawberries turn jammy and sweet, creating a built-in topping when the cake is flipped. The combination of all-purpose and almond flour gives the cake a tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb, while a splash of almond extract perfectly complements the sweet fruit.

Ingredients

Strawberry Caramelized Base

• 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 2 tbsp brown sugar or honey (to caramelize the fruit)

Moist Almond, Banana & Greek Yogurt Cake Layer

• ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 2 medium bananas)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp pure almond extract
• 1 ½ cups almond flour
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat & Prep the Pan

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Coat a 9-inch baking pan (metal works best for a good caramelization) with nonstick spray. For easy removal and slicing, you can also line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

2. Create the Fruit Base

Pour the 2 tablespoons of melted butter and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar (or honey) directly into the bottom of your prepared pan, stirring slightly to coat the surface. Arrange the halved strawberries cut-side down in an even layer over the sugar mixture.

3. Mix the Wet Cake Ingredients

In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the nonfat Greek yogurt, the 2 mashed bananas, maple syrup, melted butter, lightly beaten eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract until smooth.

4. Incorporate the Dry Ingredients

Add the almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt directly into the wet mixture. Gently stir everything together just until combined and no dry pockets remain.

5. Assemble and Bake

Carefully spread the cake batter evenly over the arranged strawberry base. Because almond flour batter can be a bit thicker, use a spatula to gently smooth out the top without disturbing the fruit underneath.

6. Bake and Flip

Bake for 25–30 minutes (or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean). Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully run a knife around the edges and invert the cake onto a serving platter so the jammy, caramelized strawberries are facing upward.