Roasted Banana Bars with Browned Butter–Pecan Frosting

Category Winner: Desserts. "I have been baking banana bars with my mother since I was old enough to stir the batter, so I was pleased when I was able to lighten them for my family and still maintain the original flavor. I browned butter in a saucepan to enhance its richness, thus eliminating the need for full-fat cream cheese. This is a great way to use ripe, speckled bananas." —Lindsay Weiss, Overland Park, KS

Yield: 2 dozen (serving size: 1 bar)

Ingredients

• Bars:
• 2  cups  sliced ripe banana (about 3 medium)
• 1/3  cup  packed dark brown sugar
• 1  tablespoon  butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 9  ounces  cake flour (about 2 1/4 cups)
• 3/4  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/4  cup  nonfat buttermilk
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1/2  cup  butter, softened
• 1 1/4  cups  granulated sugar
• 2  large eggs
• Baking spray with flour
• 
  Frosting:
• 1/4  cup  butter
• 2  cups  powdered sugar
• 1/3  cup  (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1/4  cup  chopped pecans, toasted

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. To prepare bars, combine banana, brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon butter in an 8-inch square baking dish. Bake at 400° for 35 minutes, stirring after 17 minutes. Cool slightly.

3. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°.

4. Weigh or lightly spoon cake flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 9 ounces (about 2 1/4 cups) flour, soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Combine banana mixture, buttermilk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in another medium bowl. Place 1/2 cup butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs to granulated sugar mixture; mix well. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternating with banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

5. Pour batter into a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with baking spray. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

6. To prepare frosting, melt 1/4 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly. Combine browned butter, powdered sugar, cream cheese, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer until smooth. Spread frosting over cooled bars. Sprinkle with pecans.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

221 (0.0% from fat)

Fat:

8.4g (sat 4.7g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.6g)

Protein:

2.3g

Carbohydrate:

35.1g

Fiber:

0.6g

Cholesterol:

39mg

Iron:

1mg

Sodium:

117mg

Calcium:

23mg