Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting or more appropriately named for my “Momma Bear’s Banana Bars” is a recipe that comes from my childhood. My mom would make this for us anytime bananas went bad and she had to use them up. Also, for every birthday for my brother Gerald.
I find honoring my mom through her recipes is the best kind of therapy for me. Her recipes are what keeps her memory alive. And I love sharing them with you.
Do you ever taste something or smell something that just takes you right back to your childhood? This is the recipe that does it for me. The whole house smelled of baked bananas on this lazy Sunday and it felt like my Mom was around.
The cream cheese frosting on these is what separates this from being banana bread. It doesn’t feel like a cake either, it’s a little denser. It’s just the right kind of consistency that you can eat for breakfast or dessert.
I’ve never been a fan of over the top cloyingly sweet frosting. All my frostings are a little subdued, I love to taste the cream cheese rather than the sugar. This frosting probably uses half the amount of sugar that you typically see in a normal frosting recipe. Not claiming it’s better for you though. There’s still plenty of butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar to go around.
The key to smooth frosting is to make sure your butter and cream cheese is softened to room temperature. If you don’t have all day to wait for that I soften my butter in the microwave, 5 seconds at a time, and rotate the butter every 5 seconds so it’s evenly softened. With cream cheese just warm it on a plate for 20 seconds in the microwave. Be sure it’s out of the wrapper though!
Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
The trick to smooth silky frosting without any lumps is completely softened butter and cream cheese. So allow to come fully to room temperature before mixing. If my cream cheese is too cold, I like to warm my cream cheese for 15 seconds in the microwave.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup {1 stick} Butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 3 whole Eggs
- 3 whole {smallish} Bananas, overripe, mashed
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups Flour
- 1 {8 ounce} package Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup {1 stick} Butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar, more for sweeter frosting
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Step 2 In your stand mixer, with whisk attachment, mix together butter and sugar. Add eggs, bananas, and vanilla extract. Combine dry ingredients together
- Step 3 ground cinnamon, baking soda, salt and flour. Gradually add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients while mixing until completely combined.
- Step 4 Spray a 10×15 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Add the mixture and spread evenly in the pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove and allow to cool before topping with the frosting.
- Step 5 For the frosting, using a hand mixer beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla, gradually adding the powdered sugar. Frost the bars, slice, and serve. Store in the refrigerator.
Savor and Enjoy!
