These bars are very yummy. They taste just like one of my favorite banana bread recipes, but they are almost better because you get more of the golden sweet top with each bite since these are baked in a jellyroll pan (cookie sheet with edges). These are moist and light, and there’s just a touch of extra sweetness in them, which I like. I got this recipe from my friend, Janese. She found the recipe in a Taste of Home magazine. These are best fresh and warm because then the sugar on the top tastes sort of crystallized. If you eat them once they’ve just cooled, you could even forgo the frosting. Speaking of which, the original recipe called for cream cheese frosting, but I think I might actually prefer a thin powdered sugar glaze. I can’t decide, so I’ll include both recipes. I snagged the powdered sugar glaze recipe from Amy’s banana bar recipe which she’s already posted on this site.
Frosted Banana Bars (from Taste of Home)
submitted by Erin
½ cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
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
Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
or, Powdered Sugar Glaze:
1 1/4 C. powdered sugar
1 T. butter, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1-2 T. milk
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until blended. Transfer to a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
For frosting, in a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost bars. Yield: 3 dozen.
Taste of Home Category: Lower Fat; Prep: 15 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Bananas are in the freezer, just waiting to be made into these bars!
Yummy!! Sounds super good!! :)
Yum,
Those bars look fantastic. I love banana desserts!
Those look good, sis. I love Amy’s. How do they compare?
These bars are so so good. Thanks!!!
Made these and they were soooo good, Thank
Good recipe. We enjoyed them.
We love these! Thanks for the great recipe.
Love these bars with cream cheese frosting! I used whole wheat flour for all purpose & turned out amazing! A real hit @ work whole pan gone less than three hours!ok maybe it was more like 2!