Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Banana bars with cream cheese frosting are soft, moist and flavorful banana cake bars; topped with a rich and sweet cream cheese frosting. Grab two bowls and a whisk to make this sheet cake banana bars recipe the next time you need a quick and easy dessert that everyone is sure to love!
Equipment
- 1 15 x 18 x 1 Jelly Roll pan (or 13 x 9 x 2)
- 1 whisk
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
Ingredients
Banana Bars
- 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups mashed bananas about 2 medium bananas
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to warm
- 1¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (US), room temperature
- 1 cup (240 g) sour cream, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting for Banana Bars
- 8 oz. (226 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3½ cups (420 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoons (15 ml) milk, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Lightly grease a 15 x 10 pan (or 9 x 13). In a bowl, melt the butter and allow to cool until warm to the touch.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon and salt together until well combined.2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Whisk the bananas until smooth with just a few lumps. Whisk in the, melted butter, sugar, eggs, sour cream and vanilla extract together until smooth and well combined.1¼ cups mashed bananas , ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to warm, 1¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar, 2 large eggs (US), room temperature, 1 cup (240 g) sour cream, room temperature, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet well combined with no visible pieces of flour.Pour the banana bar batter into the prepared pan. Use a flexible spatula to smooth the batter evenly across the pan.
- Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes or until the banana cake bounces back with gently pressed. The edges of the banana bread bars will also pull slightly away from the pan.
- Cool the bars in the pan to room temperature. Cool completely before frosting with the cream cheese icing.
- Make the cream cheese frosting for banana bars by beating the butter and cream cheese together until fluffy and well combined. Pour in the vanilla extract, powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) milk. Beat the cream cheese frosting until smooth and well combined.8 oz. (226 g) cream cheese, room temperature, ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract , ¼ teaspoon salt, 3½ cups (420 g) powdered sugar, 1 tablespoons (15 ml) milk, as needed
- Spread the cream cheese frosting on top of the fully cooled banana sheet cake bars. If the frosting is too warm or soft, place the frosted banana bars in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Store the frosted banana bars: Once the banana bars have cream cheese frosting, they need to be stored in the fridge. Slice the banana sheet cake to your desired number of pieces. Place them in a single layer to chill in the fridge until the frosting is set. Then transfer them to an airtight storage container for longer storage. Separate the layers with wax or parchment paper.
See Variations section for different pan sizes and flavor options.
did you make this recipe?tag @olivesnthyme on Instagram