My uncle first introduced me to frosted banana bars. After that, I was hooked. Some links in this post are affiliate links that earn me a commission if you purchase through them.
Recipe originally published February 3, 2009.
Tell me I’m not the only one with too many bananas in my house. I have (over)ripening bananas on my counter and more in my freezer.
Always.
We all have our go to when it comes to banana recipes, right?
- Brown sugar banana bread
- Banana chocolate chip muffins
- Nutella swirl banana bread
- Banana split cookies
- Banana split s’mores
- And of course… traditional banana bread
But with so many bananas all the time, we need just one more.
I love these frosted banana bars for a few reasons. They’re easy to make, they’re unique, and they make a bunch, which makes them perfect for parties.
Can I freeze frosted banana bars?
Yes, frosted banana bars freeze well. Just wrap them well in single layers, then toss them in a tightly sealed container.
You can keep them frozen for up to two months. I enjoy them frozen, but feel free to defrost them first.
Don’t microwave them, as the frosting gets wonky if you try. Instead, unwrap them and let them sit on the counter for an hour or two.
How do I freeze bananas to use later?
I freeze bananas all the time, and I’ve learned some great tricks. The big one? Peel your bananas before you freeze them.
I peel them from the bottom, which ensures that all the yucky strings come off and you don’t need to try to find and pick them off. You know about that trick, right?
Place the bananas into as small a container as possible to minimize freezer burn.
I like to freeze mine in groups of four because I know most recipes call for that many. That way I don’t have to try to pry out the right number of bananas.
How do I use frozen bananas in this recipe?
For this recipe, you want your bananas mashed. While I’ll often put whole bananas into other recipes (read banana bread or muffins), you don’t want chunks in this batter because it bakes into a relatively thin layer.
It’s hard to mash frozen bananas, so let them sit on the counter for a half hour or longer, then use a fork to mash them. They may look a little watery compared to fresh bananas, but don’t stress about it. The recipe will be fine, I promise.
How to Make Frosted Banana Bars
For this recipe, it’s critical to have your butter and cream cheese at room temperature. Your eggs should be, too, if you can remember those.
Make sure you set them out in advance to warm up. If you forget, you can gently “defrost” the butter and the cream cheese (out of its package) separately in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time, just until they feel a little soft.
In a mixing bowl, cream your butter and sugar. Like so many other quick bread recipes, beat in your eggs one at a time, then your bananas and vanilla.
Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Mix, then add the dry ingredients to your creamed mixture and mix well.
Pour the batter into a greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan (a jelly roll pan). Bake the frosted banana bars at 350 for 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool the bars five to ten minutes before you try to frost them. If you frost them too soon, the frosting simply melts, and you won’t have the texture you want.
While the banana bars cool, quickly make your frosting. Cream together the butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Add a cup of confectioners’ sugar and start to mix on low speed.
As it incorporates, turn up the speed. Then turn off and add the vanilla and beat again.
Add the rest of the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing and then beating to incorporate between additions.
Place dollops of the frosting over the bars to make it easier to spread. Use an offset spatula to gently coat the entire pan, and voila, frosted banana bars!
(Trust me, the offset spatula works so much better than any other tool I’ve tried to get smooth and even frosting. If you don’t have one, get one!)
Have you ever tried frosted banana bars?
Frosted Banana Bars
Ingredients
Bars:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups ripe bananas about 4 medium
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt
Frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 ounces package cream cheese 16 ounces total, softened
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease a jelly roll pan.
- In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 2 cups sugar
- Beat in eggs, bananas, and vanilla.3 eggs, 2 cups ripe bananas, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well.2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, pinch salt
- Pour into a greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan 5-10 minutes.
- Make frosting as bars cool. Cream softened butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 8 ounces package cream cheese
- Gradually add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat well. Spread over bars.4 cups confectioners' sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Serve immediately. Store any leftovers in the pan, sealed with plastic wrap on your counter. These keep up to three days.
Notes
- You can keep them frozen for up to two months. Don’t microwave them, as the frosting gets wonky if you try. Instead, unwrap them and let them sit on the counter for an hour or two.
- For more tips and tricks, be sure to read the full article above.
Nutrition
This site uses an online source to provide nutrition estimates as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.
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Wow, you have my mouth watering!
Those Banana Bars look amazing. YUM!
Those look great. I always like a cream cheese frosting.
The banana bars remind a bit of the banana flip snack cakes that we ate as children. Thanks for sharing.