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
- 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
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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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!
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 40-60 Bars Depending 1x
Ingredients
Banana Bars
- 300 grams (1 ½ cups) Granulated Sugar
- 8oz (1 cup) Sour Cream
- 4oz (½ cup/1 stick) Unsalted Butter, softened
- 2 Large Eggs, at room temp.
- 1 ¾ cups ripe bananas (3 or 4 bananas), mashed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 250 grams (2 Cups) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 4oz Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2oz (¼ cup) Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 250 grams (2 cups) Powdered Sugar/ Icing Sugar
Instructions
Banana Bars
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a 10X15 inch jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the sugar, sour cream, softened butter, and eggs.
- Blend in the mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
- Gently mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined. Do not overmix the batter.
- Spread into prepared baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, check the bars are done by gently pressing the center of the pan if the sponge bounces back it is baked or use the toothpick test.
- Let bars cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy.
- Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract. Using a sieve sift the powdered sugar into the bowl. Mix on low at first and when the powdered sugar is incorporated beat on high for 3 minutes.
- Spread on top of bars, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Bar Recipe: Life as a Lofthouse
- Frosting: Confessions of a Baking Queen
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: banana bread bars, cream cheese frosted banana bread
*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!
sally @ sallys baking addiction says
Sometimes I question whether or not to post a recipe and if my readers will like it. And more often than not, I am debating this as I'm stuffing my face with said recipe. 🙂 So that means I should share it. 🙂 I love banana bread in any form and topping it with cream cheese frosting sounds incredible!!
Elizabeth says
Thanks Sally! Good to know you question it too. Once I have eaten 3 or 4 pieces in the course of 10 minutes I take that as a sign 😉
Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl says
Banana bread is my ultimate favorite. And I guess if you kept eating these bars, they must be pretty good. 🙂
Elizabeth says
Banana bread is one of my favorites too! When I was little my mom made it often and would send us some in our lunch! Lately I've been jazzing banana bread up with chocolate, cookie butter, peanut butter, Nutella- gosh I feel like I can add anything to banana bread!
Paula says
I kept the banana bars (iced) in the refrigerator for a week, then froze them for two weeks. They were just as good as the first day. I added 1 cup black walnuts, and garnished with nuts. My family loved them, when I distributed them around. I am making more for Thanksgiving thank you gifts to hostesses and hosts.
★★★★★
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know Paula. They are a perfect hostess gift! Happy Thanksgiving!! XX Liz
Bridgette Rendon says
Loved this! It was a huge hit at our house. Some people requested chocolate, so I covered half in chocolate ganache. Delicious both ways
★★★★★
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for the lovely review Bridgette, I cannot wait to try it with chocolate!! Take care! XX Liz
Jessie Daniell says
your ingredients it has softened butter but in the recipe it says melted butter.
which one should I follow
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Jessie, so sorry for the confusion you'll need softened butter. Please let me know if I can help with anything else or if you try the recipe! XX Liz
Linda says
My favorite banana bar recipe includes half a banana in the cream cheese frosting. YUMMY!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Oh that sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing Linda!! Merry CHristmas. XX Liz