Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Moist Banana Bread cake is frosted with a luscious cream cheese frosting. A nice change from traditional banana bread these Banana Bread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting are great for a bake sale, party or Sunday afternoon treat! 

I first published this recipe back on January 13, 2013, here we are six plus years later we needed an update. This recipe for banana bars is like super moist banana bread into bars and topped with cream cheese frosting. Because cream cheese frosting makes it all better, am I right??

I think because this recipe is so "basic" I wasn't super excited to share it, but the same as it was 6 years ago, everyone loves these bars and they disappear so quickly!!

These bars are moist, fluffy, and they make a HUGE batch! You will LOVE them.

Let's get to the recipe.

Jump to:

• What are the ingredients
• How do you make
• What are the ingredients for cream cheese frosting?
• How do you make cream cheese frosting?
• Can you make banana bars ahead of time?
• Recipe Card
• Recipe Ratings & Comments

What are the ingredients

• Granulated Sugar
• Sour Cream
• Unsalted Butter, softened
• Large Eggs, at room temp.
• Ripe Bananas (3 or 4 bananas), mashed
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• All-Purpose Flour/ Plain Flour
• Baking Soda
• Salt

Don't miss my cream cheese banana bread next!

How do you make

Preheat oven to 350F/180C and line a 10X15 inch jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs.

Mash your bananas you want roughly 1 ¾ cups, 3 large bananas or 4 medium bananas.

Blend in the bananas and vanilla to the butter and sugar mixture.

Gently mix in flour, baking soda and salt until just combined. Do not overmix, this will create a tougher banana bar.

Spread into prepared baking pan. Use an offset spatula to gently spread the batter into an even layer.

Bake the bars for 20-25 minutes. The bars should be golden brown if you gently press the center of the bars in the center of the pan it should bounce back after a soft press.

You can also stick a toothpick in the center to test for wet batter- be careful you aren't looking at a wet banana chunk when doing this test.

Once bars have cooled make the frosting.

What are the ingredients for cream cheese frosting?

• Cream Cheese
• Heavy Whipping Cream
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Powdered Sugar/ Icing Sugar

How do you make cream cheese frosting?

As with most frosting recipes if you have an electric stand mixer I highly suggest using it, but this can be made with a handheld mixer as well.

Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy, if your cream cheese is too cold you will see lumps at this stage. That is not good. You need extremely soft but not melted cream cheese.

If you love cream cheese you've got to try my Cream Cheese Cookies Recipe.

Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract. Using a sieve sift the powdered sugar to prevent any lumps. Don't skip this part!

Mix on low at first and when the powdered sugar is incorporated beat on high for 3 minutes.

I like to use an offset spatula/ palette knife to gently smooth the frosting in an even layer.

Cut the pan into bars, I cut it into 6 columns and 8 rows. But feel free to cut the smaller or larger depending on what you want.

Can you make banana bars ahead of time?

Totally, I usually make these bars the day before I want to serve them so they last a few days after I serve them as well.

★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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*The recipe has been updated as of 5/17/19 I cut the frosting recipe in half but feel free to double it if you prefer more frosting to bar!