Name: Frosted Banana Bars
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 15 pieces
Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter (softened); 1 1/2 cups sugar; 2 eggs; 1 cup sour cream; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 2 medium ripe bananas (mashed (about 1 cup)); 8 ounces cream cheese (softened); 1/2 cup butter (softened); 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 3 3/4 - 4 cups powdered sugar

Are you looking for a banana recipe idea and craving a sweet dessert? These Frosted Banana Bars are the perfect way to use bananas that are about to go bad in a delicious cake topped with cream cheese icing!

Best Banana Recipes

We nearly always have bananas on hand. Most of them get eaten as snacks by the kids. These Frosted Banana Bars are the sweetest, richest and best banana recipe we have! And we have several great recipes with bananas.

When we have a few extra browning bananas and are craving chocolate we make Chocolate Chip Banana Bars. When we want an easy breakfast or snack item to grab and eat on the go we make Banana Jumbos.

A friend in western Ohio that follows along with all of our recipes often shares her best family recipes. Thank you, Amy, for sharing this recipe! She and her husband are dairy farmers and this banana cake recipe is filled with butter and sour cream and iced with a cream cheese icing that also has butter.

I like knowing that when I buy name brand or store brand dairy products at the grocery store I’m supporting farmers like Amy and her family and many other similar families across the United States. There are lots of farmers that work hard every day to grow the food that is sold in the grocery store!

What To Do With Bananas About to Go Bad

I work hard to keep an eye on how quickly our bananas are ripening so that we can be sure and use them before they get rotten. If we have several bananas that are about to go bad I may freeze a few to use in smoothies or make a banana flavored baked good.

If we only have one or two bananas that are about to go bad I try to make sure we eat those for a snack. Managing produce and using it before it goes bad is a great way to decrease food waste, which cuts down on how much waste goes into landfills and it saves money at the grocery store!

Putting bananas that are about to go bad in the refrigerator will make them turn brown, so I always avoid that. We store bananas on the counter or place them in an airtight bag in the freezer. Bananas may continue to turn slightly more brown in the freezer, the process will be slowed significantly compared to storing on the counter or refrigerator.

What Does a Ripe Banana Look Like

A ripe banana is yellow and fairly firm! The amount of green on the banana peel will decrease as it ripens. As the ripening process continues the banana will get soft and the skin will begin to turn brown. The browning process can happen more quickly than turning from greenish to yellow.

What Should Bananas Look Like For Baking

Bananas used for baking should not have any green on the peel. As the banana peel turns from yellow to brown the banana flavor will strengthen. I like to use bananas that are yellow or have a few brown spots when baking, but this is personal preference.

A piece of the banana can be eaten to determine if you like the flavor before including in a baking recipe. If the banana is too soft and strong tasting I would recommend not using that banana.

How to Make Banana Bars

Soften butter and cream cheese prior to beginning the recipe
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla
Mix flour and baking soda
Gradually add flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture
Stir in bananas and spread batter into greased baking sheet
To make frosting beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy
Gradually beat in powdered sugar to achieve desired consistency.
Warmer icing spreads easier, also spreads easier on a warm cake

Other Easy Cakes for a Potluck or Family Meal

Printable Recipe for Frosted Banana Bars

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