Banana Bars
The ultimate comfort treat, Banana Bars are soft, moist, and packed with sweet flavor from ripe bananas. Topped with a luscious frosting, these bars make for an easy weeknight dessert that your family will love. Indulge in a slice tonight!
Equipment
- Frying Pan
- Blender
- Oven
- Large Pot
- Chef's Knife
- Mixing Bowl
- Wooden Spoon
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Sugar
- 1 cup Sour Cream
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter, softened
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 ¾ cups Mashed Bananas, about 3 or 4 ripe bananas
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Chopped Walnuts, (optional)
- 3 ¾ cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 3 tablespoons Milk or Half and Half
Instructions
- Start by heating your oven to 375 degrees. This is the perfect temperature for baking, ensuring even cooking and a beautiful golden crust. While the oven is preheating, prepare your baking pan by greasing and flouring a 10×15 jelly roll pan, or you can line it with parchment paper. If you prefer thicker bars, opt for a 9×13 pan and extend the baking time by 10 minutes for a perfect result.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the first four ingredients: sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs. Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat these ingredients until creamy. This should take about 2 to 3 minutes, and you’ll want to see a smooth, light mixture that’s thoroughly combined.
- Next, add the mashed bananas and vanilla to the bowl. Mix this for about one minute until everything is well blended. You should notice the bananas breaking down and infusing the mixture with their delicious flavor.
- Now, it’s time to incorporate the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the mixture. Blend everything together for another minute until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; you want the batter to be slightly lumpy for the best texture.
- If you’re using them, stir in the chopped walnuts gently. This adds a wonderful crunch to your bars. Once everything is mixed, pour the batter into your prepared pan. Use a spatula to spread it evenly across the pan.
- Place your pan in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Watch for the bars to turn a lovely golden brown. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. If it’s still gooey, give them a few more minutes.
- Once baked, remove the bars from the oven and let them cool slightly in the pan. Allow them to cool until they’re warm but not hot. This is the ideal time to frost them with the Browned Butter Frosting.
- To make the frosting, heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to boil and turns a delicate brown color. Be attentive, as it can burn quickly. Once browned, remove it from heat and mix in the remaining frosting ingredients until smooth. It should be thicker than a glaze but thinner than frosting; you can adjust the consistency with a bit of milk.
- Using a rubber spatula, spread the frosting over the top of the warm banana bars. The frosting will be easier to spread while the bars are still warm, creating a beautiful finish. Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing them into squares.
- Enjoy your delicious homemade Banana Bars! Store any leftovers in an airtight container to keep them fresh and tasty.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. They may also be refrigerated for a longer shelf life. You can freeze Banana Bars for up to three months. Just make sure to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then foil.