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    Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Published: Feb 28, 2022 · Modified: Mar 10, 2022 by Lynda Self · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    These banana bars with cream cheese frosting are made from scratch using simple ingredients. They’re perfect for breakfast or dessert!

    These moist dessert bars are essentially banana cake in disguise.  With 1-½ cups of mashed bananas, the delicious banana flavor is complemented with sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting. 

    Toasted pecans are completely optional, but they add a nutty crunch factor that can’t be beaten.

    Banana bar slice on top of a white dessert plate.

    Banana Bars Ingredients

    • all-purpose flour
    • baking soda
    • salt
    • butter
    • sugar
    • eggs
    • mashed banana
    • vanilla extract
    Flour, cream cheese, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, and mashed bananas on a counter top.

    How to Make Banana Bars

    Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Lightly spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or Baker’s Joy. Set the pan aside.

    Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium-size bowl. Set the flour mixture aside.

    Cream butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add eggs, bananas, and vanilla.

    Adjust the mixer speed to low and slowly add flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the mixer as needed to make sure there are no traces of flour.

    Banana cake batter in a 9x13-inch baking dish.

    Pour the banana cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake in the center of the oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

    Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.

    Cream cheese icing being spread on top of banana cake.

    Slice the cake into bar shapes before serving.

    Slices of banana cake cut into bars and on white plates.

    How to Store Banana Bars

    Unfrosted banana bars can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. If you’d like to make the cream cheese frosting ahead of time, be sure to freeze it separately from the bars.

    Otherwise, store frosted banana bars in the fridge for up to three days or on the countertop for two hours.

    Banana bar slice topped with toasted pecans.

    FAQ

    Can you freeze frosted banana bars?

    Kind of. You can freeze the banana bars and the cream cheese frosting separately for up to three months. The frosting will need to be re-whipped after thawing in order to regain its original texture so I don’t recommend freezing the bars already frosted.

    Are banana bars healthy?

    It depends on what you’re comparing them to. Using mashed banana rather than cooking oil makes these banana bars lower in fat and calories than a traditional cake recipe. However, due to the cream cheese frosting, banana bars won’t be as healthy as plain quick bread recipes that are often served for breakfast.

    Should banana bars be refrigerated?

    Frosted banana bars should be stored in the refrigerator since the cream cheese frosting is perishable. They will be just fine on the counter for a couple of hours though, so no need to sweat it if you are bringing them to an event.

    Toasted pecans on top of cream cheese icing.

    Other recipes you might like

    My Blueberry Coffee Cake recipe is another tasty treat for breakfast or brunch.

    This Lemon Loaf Cake with Raspberries has a light, tart flavor perfect for summer.

    Cinnamon Chip Quick Bread is a fast and easy quick bread recipe that requires very little prep.

    If you’re feeling ambitious and want a breakfast to impress, knock their socks off with this Pumpkin Monkey Bread recipe.

    Bite of banana bar on a fork.
    Banana bar slice topped with toasted pecans.

    Banana Bars

    These banana bars are made from scratch using simple ingredients. They're perfect for breakfast or dessert!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    Calories 682 kcal

    Equipment

    • 9×13-inch baking dish

    Ingredients
      

    Banana Cake

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • pinch salt
    • ½ cup butter softened
    • 2 cups sugar
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 ½ cups banana mashed
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    • ½ cup butter softened
    • 8 ounces cream cheese
    • 4 cups powdered sugar
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1-2 tablespoons milk

    Topping

    • 1½ cups pecans chopped

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Lightly spray baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or Baker's Joy. Set the pan aside.
    • Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium-size bowl. Set the flour mixture aside.
    • Cream butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add eggs, bananas, and vanilla.
    • Adjust the mixer speed to low and slowly add flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the mixer as needed to make sure there are no traces of flour.
    • Pour the banana cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake in the center of the oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
    • Allow the cake to cool completely before icing.

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    • Beat ½ cup softened butter with cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar and vanilla, mixing well. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk to thin the icing as necessary.

    Pecan Topping

    • Place pecans on a baking sheet and bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes. Let pecans cool.

    Assembly

    • Spread cream cheese frosting over the cool banana cake.
    • Sprinkle toasted pecans over the top of the banana cake.
    • Cut cake into 12 rectangles. Store banana bars in the refrigerator.
    Keyword cake
    Nutrition Facts
    Banana Bars
    Amount Per Serving (1 bar)
    Calories 682 Calories from Fat 288
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 32g49%
    Saturated Fat 15g94%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
    Monounsaturated Fat 11g
    Cholesterol 103mg34%
    Sodium 305mg13%
    Potassium 191mg5%
    Carbohydrates 96g32%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 76g84%
    Protein 6g12%
    Vitamin A 807IU16%
    Vitamin C 2mg2%
    Calcium 44mg4%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a comment below or share on Pinterest

    Frosted Banana Bars is the web story version of this recipe.

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Rebecca - Glutarama says

      March 25, 2022 at 12:02 pm

      5 stars
      I do love a good tray bake recipe and one that uses up the banana’s that keep looking at me in my fruit bowl is a BONUS!

      Reply
    2. Lynda says

      April 06, 2022 at 8:50 am

      5 stars
      My mom makes these bars and everyone loves them.

      Reply
      • Jenn says

        April 06, 2022 at 11:39 am

        Awesome! I love that you can serve them for dessert or breakfast.

        Reply

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