Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

As I was growing up, I noticed that my dad always smeared a bit of soft cream cheese on a fresh slice of banana bread. The cream cheese’s sharp tang and cold, creamy bite were a welcome counter to the tender crumb and fruity taste from the banana bread. Pure genius, I thought after I tried a bite. Now, I can’t help but buy a brick of cream cheese anytime there’s banana bread in my home.

When this recipe for banana bars with cream cheese frosting came across my desk, I recognized the flavor pairing immediately as the one I grew up on, but in an elevated form. The banana bars fall a little cakier than bready and are incredibly tender and moist from lots of overripe bananas and tangy, rich sour cream. Swooped and spread on top is the homemade cream cheese frosting, as fluffy as a cloud and endlessly bright and creamy. Once again, pure genius.

These are the perfect summer dessert bars for a cookout. They are easy to make, feed a crowd and are truly a favorite at any age. I love that they feel sophisticated enough to really wow, but you don’t have to spend hours on them, as you would with a layer cake. Although, if these easy bars still feel like just a bit too much work, might I suggest the hack I learned from my dad?

Ingredients for Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

• Butter: Soften the butter to room temperature so it can cream nicely with the sugar. The butter should be soft enough to indent when you press a finger in it, but not so soft that it’s oily and melting on the sides of the stick.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the banana bars.
• Eggs: Take two eggs out of the fridge 30 minutes before starting the recipe so they can come to room temperature. Baking with room-temperature eggs creates a better batter emulsion and voluminous, fluffy bars.
• Sour cream: Sour cream creates a tangy brightness and a textural richness in the banana bars.
• Vanilla extract: Delicate, floral vanilla seems to always tie up all the different ingredients in a dessert, harmonizing them into one cohesive flavor.
• All-purpose flour: Out of all the types of flour, all-purpose flour is best for bars because it creates a strong stability but leaves a tender crumb. Bread flour is much too dense, and cake flour might leave the bars a bit fragile.
• Baking soda: A little baking soda helps the bars rise just a bit.
• Bananas: To make 1 cup of mashed bananas, you’ll need about two medium-sized ripe bananas. Mash the bananas ahead of time so they can mix right into the batter.
• Cream cheese frosting: The homemade cream cheese frosting is the perfect rich and tangy counterbalance to the fruity banana bars. You’ll need softened cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and confectioners’ sugar.

Directions

Step 1: Make the batter

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, five to seven minutes. Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture just until combined.

Step 2: Add the bananas

Stir in the mashed bananas just until combined. Make sure the bananas are pre-mashed or you’ll have a difficult time mashing them in the batter.

Step 3: Bake the banana bars

Spread the batter into a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan, also known as a jelly-roll pan. Pop the pan into the oven and bake the banana bars until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Do not overbake or the bars will be very dry!

Let the banana bars cool completely to room temperature.

Step 4: Whip up the cream cheese frosting

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the cream cheese, softened butter and vanilla extract until fluffy. Gradually beat in enough of the confectioners’ sugar to reach the desired consistency.

Editor’s Tip: If your confectioners’ sugar is clumpy, sift it first to knock out the clusters so the frosting isn’t lumpy.

Step 5: Frost and serve

Spread the frosting evenly on top of the room-temperature banana bars. Feel free to add swoops or any other decorating techniques you like. Serve the banana bars with cream cheese frosting and store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Recipe Variations

• Include mix-ins: Freshen up the bars with mix-ins like berries, toasted nuts or chocolate chips.
• Add more banana flavor: To intensify the banana flavor, add a bit of banana extract to the bars and/or the cream cheese frosting.
• Try chocolate frosting instead: If you’re not a fan of cream cheese frosting, chocolate frosting is incredible on these bars. It’s like eating a chocolate-covered banana.
• Decorate with banana chips: If you want to add some decoration, do not add fresh bananas or they will quickly turn brown. Instead, decorate the tops of the bars with dehydrated banana chips!
• Drizzle with salted caramel: For a little more indulgence, drizzle salted caramel sauce or dulce de leche on top of the bars.

How to Store Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Banana bars with cream cheese frosting can be stored in the fridge for up to four days. If you kept the bars in their pan, make sure they’re covered very well with storage wrap. You can also store slices in an airtight container to save room in the fridge.

Can you freeze banana bars with cream cheese frosting?

Yes, you can freeze banana bars with cream cheese frosting and without the frosting. To freeze with the frosting, keep the bars in the pan or transfer slices to an airtight container. Freeze for up to two months, then thaw in the fridge overnight.

To freeze banana bars without the frosting, allow the bars to cool to room temperature, then wrap the bars with a few layers of storage wrap. Place the bars on a flat surface in the freezer or keep them in the pan. Freeze for up to two months, then thaw the bars at room temperature for about an hour.

Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting Tips

How do you get bananas to ripen quickly?

You can quickly ripen bananas in a couple of ways: overnight in a brown paper bag or in the oven for a few minutes. For the overnight method, stash the bananas and another room-temperature fruit (like apples or oranges) in a brown paper bag and close the bag tightly. The fruits will emit ripening-inducing ethylene, meaning your bananas should be ripe by morning.

For an even quicker method, try the oven. Preheat your oven to 250º and place unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet. Roast them low and slow in the oven until the skins turn black and the insides are soft, 15 to 20 minutes.

Can you use bananas that were previously frozen?

Yes, you can use previously frozen bananas. Place the frozen bananas in a bowl and allow them to thaw completely to room temperature.

Can you bake the banana bars in a different-sized pan?

Yes, you can bake the banana bars in a different-sized pan. Instead of a jelly-roll pan, try a 13×9-inch pan or two 9-inch round pans. Keep in mind, these bars will be thicker and may need a bit more time to bake. You can also bake the batter in muffin tins for cupcakes.