America's Melting Pot

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1946-present - American potluck bakers using overripe bananas

Banana Bars

Name: Banana Bars
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 24 bars
Ingredients: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 1/2 cups sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 cup sour cream; 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas, about 3 bananas; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 8 ounces cream cheese, softened; 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened, for frosting; 2 cups powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, for frosting

Moist banana bars baked in a sheet pan and topped with cream cheese frosting, made for church basements, lunchrooms, and family potlucks.

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Difficulty

Easy

Prep time

20 minutes

Cook time

25 minutes

Total time

45 minutes plus cooling

Servings

24 bars

Region

American potluck and church supper tables

Era introduced

1946-present

Introduced by

American potluck bakers using overripe bananas

Recipe tools

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The Story

Banana bars are banana bread's sheet-pan cousin: softer, sweeter, easier to cut for a crowd, and often finished with cream cheese frosting. They belong to the practical American potluck tradition that prizes a 9-by-13 pan, ripe bananas that need using, and a dessert that travels well. This recipe keeps the bars cakey and tender rather than dense.

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas, about 3 bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened, for frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, for frosting

Equipment

9x13-inch baking dish
Baking sheet
Oven
Hand mixer or stand mixer
Cutting board
Chef's knife
Mixing bowl
Whisk

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9-by-13-inch pan.
Beat butter and sugar until light.
Beat in eggs, sour cream, mashed bananas, and vanilla.
Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt, then fold into the batter.
Spread batter in the pan.
Bake 22 to 28 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.
Cool completely.
Beat cream cheese, frosting butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
Spread over cooled bars and cut into squares.

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Banana Bars

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Ingredients

Equipment

Directions

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