Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Delicious banana bars topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting, perfect for any occasion.
Prep
0
min
Cook
25
min
Serves
12
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 12🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
📦Other(3)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cups pecans, optional, finely chopped
- 2 small ripe bananas, mashed
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
357
Protein
4g
Carbs
46g
Fat
18g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- 2
Grease a 9x13-inch pan.
- 3
Mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a bowl.
- 4
In a bowl, cream 1/2 cup of butter and granulated sugar together with a hand mixer until fluffy.
- 5
Add eggs, milk, 1/2 cup of mashed banana, and lemon juice to the butter mixture and mix well.
- 6
Stir the flour mixture and pecans into the banana mixture until combined.
- 7
Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
- 8
Bake the banana mixture until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes.
- 9
Allow the banana bars to cool completely.
- 10
In a bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining butter with a hand mixer until fluffy.
- 11
Mix vanilla and remaining salt into the cream cheese mixture.
- 12
Add powdered sugar, a little at a time, to the frosting mixture until incorporated.
- 13
Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled banana bars.
- 14
Slice, top with sliced bananas, and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Add lemon juice to mashed bananas and let sit for 2-3 minutes before incorporating into batter; the citric acid halts enzymatic browning and brightens banana flavor by preventing oxidation of polyphenols.technique2-3 minutes
- ✓Cream butter and sugar for exactly 3-4 minutes until the mixture reaches 65-70°F and increases in volume by 40-50%; this incorporates 15-20% air bubbles that create lift, compensating for the dense moisture from mashed banana.timing3-4 minutes | 65-70°F | 40-50% volume increase
- ✓Reduce milk to 1/4 cup (from 1/3 cup) because bananas release 70-80% moisture during mashing; excess liquid prevents gluten development and creates dense, gummy bars instead of tender crumb.ingredient1/4 cup vs 1/3 cup | 70-80% banana moisture
- ✓Bake at 350°F for exactly 22-24 minutes and test with a toothpick at the 20-minute mark; banana bars continue cooking 3-5 minutes after removal due to residual heat in the dense batter, and overbaking by just 2 minutes dries out the crumb by 8-12%.timing350°F | 22-24 minutes | test at 20 minutes
- ✓Cool bars completely to 68-70°F (minimum 45 minutes) before frosting; warm cake causes cream cheese frosting to separate and slide off because the fat in frosting has a melting point of 32-35°C.timing68-70°F | 45 minutes minimum | 32-35°C melting point
Share this recipe
Prep
0
min
Cook
25
min
Serves
12
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Delicious banana bars topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting, perfect for any occasion.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 12🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
📦Other(3)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cups pecans, optional, finely chopped
- 2 small ripe bananas, mashed
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
357
Protein
4g
Carbs
46g
Fat
18g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- 2
Grease a 9x13-inch pan.
- 3
Mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a bowl.
- 4
In a bowl, cream 1/2 cup of butter and granulated sugar together with a hand mixer until fluffy.
- 5
Add eggs, milk, 1/2 cup of mashed banana, and lemon juice to the butter mixture and mix well.
- 6
Stir the flour mixture and pecans into the banana mixture until combined.
- 7
Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
- 8
Bake the banana mixture until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes.
- 9
Allow the banana bars to cool completely.
- 10
In a bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining butter with a hand mixer until fluffy.
- 11
Mix vanilla and remaining salt into the cream cheese mixture.
- 12
Add powdered sugar, a little at a time, to the frosting mixture until incorporated.
- 13
Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled banana bars.
- 14
Slice, top with sliced bananas, and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Add lemon juice to mashed bananas and let sit for 2-3 minutes before incorporating into batter; the citric acid halts enzymatic browning and brightens banana flavor by preventing oxidation of polyphenols.technique2-3 minutes
- ✓Cream butter and sugar for exactly 3-4 minutes until the mixture reaches 65-70°F and increases in volume by 40-50%; this incorporates 15-20% air bubbles that create lift, compensating for the dense moisture from mashed banana.timing3-4 minutes | 65-70°F | 40-50% volume increase
- ✓Reduce milk to 1/4 cup (from 1/3 cup) because bananas release 70-80% moisture during mashing; excess liquid prevents gluten development and creates dense, gummy bars instead of tender crumb.ingredient1/4 cup vs 1/3 cup | 70-80% banana moisture
- ✓Bake at 350°F for exactly 22-24 minutes and test with a toothpick at the 20-minute mark; banana bars continue cooking 3-5 minutes after removal due to residual heat in the dense batter, and overbaking by just 2 minutes dries out the crumb by 8-12%.timing350°F | 22-24 minutes | test at 20 minutes
- ✓Cool bars completely to 68-70°F (minimum 45 minutes) before frosting; warm cake causes cream cheese frosting to separate and slide off because the fat in frosting has a melting point of 32-35°C.timing68-70°F | 45 minutes minimum | 32-35°C melting point