One-Bowl Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: One-Bowl Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 24 bars
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3-4 bananas, past their prime eating window; ½ cup butter, softened; 1.5 cups sugar; 8 ounces sour cream; 2 eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 cups flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; ⅔ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional, but recommended; 4 ounces butter, softened; 4 ounces cream cheese, softened; 3½ - 4 cups powdered sugar; 1 - 2 tablespoons milk; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Jul 24

Written By Laura Curran

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My unpopular opinion is: I do not like banana bread! Do you? I know what you're thinking, but hear me out! Usually banana bread made in a loaf pan tends to be dense and dry around the edges. You have to eat it the same day or it just dries out even more.

If I'm going to use up old bananas, I am making these super easy, One-Bowl Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting. They are tender, moist, and full of banana flavor. And because they're made in a sheet pan, they bake more quickly and the edges stay moist for days. I add some mini semisweet chocolate chips to give them a little something extra. Plus the tangy cream cheese frosting is the perfect topper, but you can leave it off and still have a great snack, dessert, or breakfast. My youngest prefers these without the frosting. Make them and then comment below to tell us your preference.

Breakfast

One-Bowl Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Super easy, One-bowl recipe for moist, flavorful banana bars that beat banana bread by a mile!

By Laura Curran · July 24, 2019

One-Bowl Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep10 min

Cook20 min

Total30 min

Yield24 bars

Ingredients

Banana Bars
3-4 bananas, past their prime eating window
½ cup butter, softened
1.5 cups sugar
8 ounces sour cream
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
⅔ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional, but recommended
Cream Cheese Fosting
4 ounces butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3½ - 4 cups powdered sugar
1 - 2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

You'll need

Non-stick half sheet pan, 11x17

Anchor Hocking 2-quart Batter Bowl with Lid

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Instructions

Banana Bars
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease or spray pan with no-stick spray.
Add bananas to large bowl. Use mixer to break with them up a little bit.
Add butter and sugar and blend until well mixed but with some banana lumps visible.
Add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream and blend until just mixed.
Add flour, baking soda, and salt and mix just until no flour is visible.
Fold in chocolate chips if using.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until top is lightly browned and set.
Cool completely in pan before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Add cream cheese to large bowl. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.
Beat until smooth. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.
Add softened butter and blend until smooth. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl and beat about 5 minutes or until very smooth and lighter in color.
Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Blend until mixed well and smooth, adding milk a littel bit at a time if needed for proper consistency.
Frost cooled bars. Enjoy!