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Roasted Banana Bars with Browned Butter–Pecan Frosting

Cooking Light
Roasted Banana Bars with Browned Butter–Pecan Frosting
Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke
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Outstanding

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
Lindsay Weiss, Overland Park, KS, Cooking Light, JANUARY 2009

Member Ratings and Reviews

5 stars
Bette---Florida Keys from An Unknown Location
Made these and Mississippi Mud Cake for a Super Bowl party last night and both were a hit. This is a great tasting banana cake-- baking the banana's first really brought out the flavor, and the Browned Butter-Pecan frosting is just awesome. I cut it into smaller pieces and put in paper cupcake cups for easy eating and great presentation. You won't be disappointed in this recipe. Will make again!02/08/10

5 stars
erika from An Unknown Location
So i wanted to feel even better about eating these so i used brown sugar splenda and the splenda baking blend in place of where it called for brown sugar and granulated sugar. Because the bananas are so sweet anyways when you roast them, the bars are still just as good with splenda! Super moist and flavorful, elegant enough to entertain with as well!02/04/10