Frosted Banana Bars

Banana Bars

  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 medium size, ripe bananas–mashed (about 1 cup)
  • 1-cup (8 ounces) sour cream
  • 1-teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1-teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  1. PREHEAT oven to 350°. 
  2. GENEROUSLY apply non-stick cooking spray on a 18x13x1-inch baking sheet.
  3. CREAM 1 stick of butter and 1-1/2 cups sugar until the mixture is light-yellow in color and fully incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
  4. CRACK 2 eggs. Pour the eggs, one at a time, into the butter and sugar mixture. Stir well after each egg.
  5. ADD 1 cup mashed banana, 1 cup sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla to the bowl. Stir to combine.
  6. ADD 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the banana mixture.
  7. MIX on low for one minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and stir again briefly.   
  8. SPREAD the batter evenly into the prepared pan. (The amount of batter will seem sparse)
  9. BAKE for 13 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Watch closely; they turn from white to brown quickly. 
  10. COOL completely and frost. 
  11. STORE the covered frosted bars in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.  

Fluffy Cream Cheese Icing

  • 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), softened
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, barely softened (just a few seconds in the microwave)
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar*
  • 8 ounces (3 cups) Cool Whip, thawed OR 1 cup heavy whipping cream*
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  1. CREAM 1/4 cup butter and 8 ounces of cream cheese until fluffy and smooth with paddle attachment of mixer.
  2. ADD 3/4 cup powdered sugar*
  3. BEAT until no lumps remain, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl frequently.
  4. CHANGE the paddle mixer to the whip attachment and whip in the Cool Whip* or with the mixer on high, pour a stream of whipping cream into the bowl and mix until the icing makes soft peaks. Add the vanilla.
  5. EVENLY spread on the icing.
  6. STORE the frosted bars, in a covered container, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

*If desired, REPLACE the Cool Whip with 1 cup of whipping cream (an excellent whipping cream is Darigold heavy whipping cream 40% milk-fat from Costco, see photo below) and INCREASE the powdered sugar to 1 cup.

Banana Batter Photos

Butter, sugar and egg mixture
Banana, sour cream and vanilla
This is a very soft batter. There is no need to mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl before adding them to the banana mixture.
Spread the batter in the pan. The amount of batter will seem sparse.
A quick bake of 13 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Fluffy Cream Cheese Icing Photos

Add the powdered sugar to the butter and cream cheese mixture
Use heavy whipping cream or thawed non-dairy whipped topping (Cool Whip) in this icing
The whipping cream or Cool Whip fluffs the icing right up.
Tip: spread the icing, in a diagonal direction, on the cooled bars.
Creating the diagonal design while icing, provides a finished look on each bar
Fun option! Cut the cake pieces approximately the same size and double stack. Twice the icing, twice the cake, double the yum! For a tidy look, trim to even out the edges.