Frosted Banana Bars
This is a tried and true recipe that has nearly 150 positive reviews, including mine, on tasteofhome.com. It is a great way to use up those over ripe bananas sitting on your kitchen counter. Easy to make with tons of sweet banana flavor, Frosted Banana Bars are a winner!
This recipe, originally contributed to the magazine by Karen Dryak of Nebraska, is one of the top three cakes that I’ve made most often. It is that GOOD! Frosted Banana Bars are so easy to make, moist and delicious, and freeze easily for a great dessert to serve to unexpected company. And the banana flavor is off the charts!
Remember to use OVERRIPE bananas for this recipe. You want them to have brown spots, as that means they are sweeter and will tastes great when added to this recipe. Simply mash them on a small plate with a fork and add them right to the batter. This dessert is sweet and super delicious, a real treat.
Frosted Banana Bars
For the Cake:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Dash salt
Frosting:
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
How to make Frosted Banana Bars?
- Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in the eggs, bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until blended.
- Transfer batter to a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
- For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost bars.
- Cut the cake into bars or squares, you will get 24-30 servings depending on how big you cut them.
Tips for making Banana Bars:
How do you ripen bananas quickly?
To ripen bananas quickly, just pop your bananas in a paper bag, fold over to close and check in a day. The enclosed environment traps ethylene, the compound responsible for ripening bananas. For even better results, add an apple to the bag (it also releases ethylene). Don’t want to wait a day? You can ripen bananas in minutes or hours using an oven or freezer.
What are some alternatives to cream cheese frosting?
It’s hard to go wrong with a creamy caramel frosting. Feeling a bit more adventurous? Why not go Elvis-inspired with a chocolate peanut butter frosting? Spread over the top, then sprinkle the banana bars with chopped peanuts or crumbled cooked bacon!
What other toppings can you add to banana bars?
Try your hand at a classic homemade chocolate ganache. Cool and spread over the top, then decorate with dried banana chips or chopped pecans. Or, for the simplest topping of all, lightly dust with confectioners’ sugar.
I made these yummy Frosted Banana Bars recently and shared them with neighbors. They were a hit and everyone wanted the recipe. A sure sign of a great dessert!
For more fruity desserts bar recipes, check out these favorites:
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Frosted Banana Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups bananas, about 3 medium, overripe and mashed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Dash salt
frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in the eggs, bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until blended.
- Transfer batter to a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
- For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost bars.
- Cut the cake into bars or squares, you will get 24-30 servings depending on how big you cut them.
Equipment
- 1 13×9-inch baking pan