Description
Banana Bars are a delightful treat that brings comfort straight from your kitchen. Packed with ripe bananas and topped with creamy frosting, these bars make your afternoon snack something special to savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 very ripe bananas
- 2 large eggs
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
Supporting Ingredients:
- 0.5 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Finishing Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 0.5 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
- Chopped walnuts
- Banana chips
- Caramel sauce
- Chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Grab your stand mixer and blend 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter with 1 ½ cups granulated sugar for 3-4 minutes until the mixture becomes fluffy and pale.
- Add 2 large eggs individually, mixing thoroughly after each incorporation. Blend in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
- Thoroughly mash 3 very ripe bananas in a separate bowl until no significant chunks remain.
- Fold mashed bananas into the butter mixture, stirring until completely integrated.
- Whisk together 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt in a separate bowl.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and ½ cup sour cream to the banana mixture, starting and ending with flour mixture. Mix gently.
- Preheat your oven to 350F and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan thoroughly.
- Transfer batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly with a spatula.
- Bake for 32-35 minutes, checking doneness with a wooden skewer that should emerge with minimal moist crumbs.
- Allow bars to cool completely in the pan for approximately 1 hour.
- Beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese with ½ cup softened butter until completely smooth.
- Gradually incorporate 3 cups powdered sugar, mixing at low speed to prevent sugar clouds.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2-3 tablespoons milk until frosting reaches spreadable consistency.
- Generously spread frosting across cooled banana bars.
- Optionally garnish with chopped walnuts, banana chips, caramel drizzle, or chocolate shavings.
- Slice into squares and serve at room temperature.
Notes
- Check banana ripeness by ensuring they are soft and brown-spotted for maximum sweetness and flavor.
- Avoid overmixing the batter, which can make the bars tough and dense instead of tender and moist.
- Room temperature ingredients help create a smoother, more evenly mixed batter that bakes more consistently.
- For gluten-free version, swap all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend to maintain the bars’ texture.
- Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Dessert Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 296 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 3.5 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg