My mom makes the best banana bread. Yes, I am well aware that many people think that their own mothers or grandmothers make the best banana bread and so it should be. Whenever I have a banana or two that are past their prime (cue the fruit flies), I stick them into my freezer for later use. Banana brad is great for using the overripe fruit, but once in awhile, I want something other than bread.
It’s no secret that I love frosting of any kind and so I knew that these Banana Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting and Walnuts were calling my name.
These bars are everything that you are used to getting from your banana bread: moist, dense and plenty of sweet banana flavor. The thick layer of brown sugar frosting is so rich that you crave the earthy bitterness that the walnuts provide.
This recipe can be made for a large group in a jelly roll pan, but I cut it in half and made it in an 8-inch square baking dish. However, I did not cut the frosting recipe in half because I prefer a thick layer of frosting that nearly matches the thickness of the bars!
Banana Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting and Walnuts
Keywords: bake dessert banana fruit bar
Ingredients (20 bars)
For the bars
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 ripe, mashed banana
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the frosting
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup walnuts
Instructions
For the bars
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease an 8-inch baking dish.
In a large bowl and using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar.
Add yogurt, egg and vanilla and mix until well blended.
Add mashed banana and mix.
Add dry ingredients and mix to incorporate.
Pour batter into baking dish and spread with a spatula to smooth.
Bake for ~25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting
In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and milk and heat over medium heat to bring to a boil stirring constantly.
Boil for 30 seconds, then remove from heat and quickly stir in vanilla and powdered sugar until combined.
Immediately pour frosting over bars and sprinkle walnuts over the top.
Allow frosting to cool before cutting and serving.
Recipe adapted from Baking Basics and Beyond by Pat Sinclair
in a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar
add egg, yogurt and vanilla
add banana
add dry ingredients and mix well
pour into prepared pan, bake and cool completely
to make frosting, combine butter, brown sugar and milk in a small saucepan and bring to a boil for 30 seconds
remove from heat and quickly stir in powdered sugar and vanilla
pour over cooled bars and top with walnuts
allow frosting to cool before cutting and serving
