Description
Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting deliver pure comfort straight from your kitchen. Moist banana-packed bars topped with silky smooth frosting make weekend baking feel like a warm hug from grandma.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 ripe bananas
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Frosting Ingredients:
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Crush 3 ripe bananas in a mixing bowl until they form a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Blend ½ cup softened butter with the mashed bananas until fully incorporated.
- Whisk in 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Sift together 1 ½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a separate bowl.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture, stirring gently until just combined.
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan thoroughly with butter or cooking spray.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Bake at 350°F for exactly 27 minutes, checking with a toothpick for doneness near the end of baking.
- Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely on a wire rack for about 45 minutes.
- Beat 8 oz softened cream cheese with ½ cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until silky smooth.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly across the cooled banana bars using an offset spatula.
- Slice into squares and serve at room temperature.
Notes
- Ripe bananas are key to maximum flavor, so wait until they’re heavily speckled and soft before using.
- Use room temperature cream cheese and butter for the smoothest, lump-free frosting that spreads easily.
- For a healthier version, swap half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour and reduce sugar by 25%.
- Store these bars in the refrigerator to keep the cream cheese frosting fresh and prevent spoiling, and they’ll stay delicious for 3-4 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Dessert Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 274 kcal
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 176 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 48 mg