Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Banana Bars with Cream Cheese frosting

This is my most favorite banana dessert.  Soo yummy.  I could eat a whole pan, well I better not...


Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (3 medium, I actually used 4 and cut the butter by 1/4)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda

Frosting
1/4 cup butter softened   (In my laziness I usually use just the 8 oz bar of cream cheese and omit the butter)
4 oz cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners'sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs, bananas and vanilla.  (I usually put the whole very ripe bananas in, they mix up just fine.)  Combine the flour, and baking soda; add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Pour into a greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until bars test done.  Cool.
For frosting cream better and cream cheese in mixing bowl.  Gradually add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat well.  Spread over bars.  Yield 3 dozen.
Note:  to make these gluten free replace flour with 2 1/2 cups gluten free flour mix and add 1 tsp xanthan gum.  Very yummy both ways!

2 comments:

Adam and Julia said...

This one is going to be a must for me! I loved it whenever you brought it to work. Thanks!

debnu said...

I am so glad someone is looking at this! Thanks for the blog idea Julia!