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Banana Bread Bars

Banana Bread Bars

Easy to make, incredibly moist banana bars with a browned sugar frosting. A great way to use up ripe bananas and sure to become a family favorite.
Course Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Tags Banana Bread Bars, Bars and Squares
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 24
Author Christoph

Ingredients

Bars

  • 1 ½ cups granulated white sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ¾ cups mashed ripe bananas 3 or 4 bananas
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup toasted walnuts chopped

Browned Butter Frosting

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 3 ¾ cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • about 3 tablespoons milk or half and half

Method

Bars

  1. Position rack in the center of oven and heat to 375°F. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan.
  2. Cream together butter and sugar. Add sour cream and eggs, mix until creamy and smooth. Mix in bananas and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix until completely incorporated. Fold in walnuts and spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
  3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown. Test with a toothpick in the center of the cake. Cool slightly, about the amount of time to make the frosting.

Browned Butter Frosting

  1. Place powdered sugar in a medium sized mixing bowl.
  2. Heat butter in saucepan over medium heat until it turns a delicate brown. Swirl pan to stir the butter as it melts. Pour browned butter into powdered sugar and add vanilla and a couple tablespoons of milk. Mix well adding more milk as needed for proper consistency. The frosting should be thicker than a glaze and thinner than frosting.
  3. Pour the frosting on to the warm cake and use a spatula to spread it evenly. Work quickly as the frosting will start to set. Sprinkle the top with more toasted walnuts and allow the bars to cool completely. The frosting will level out into a smooth finish as the cake cools.
  4. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Cooks Notes

This frosting is intended to be spread on the bars while they are still rather warm. The heat from the cake will make the frosting flow into a nice smooth surface.