Banana Bars Tips
How do you ripen bananas quickly?
To ripen bananas quickly, just pop your bananas in a paper bag, fold over to close and check in a day. The enclosed environment traps ethylene, the compound responsible for ripening bananas. For even better results, add an apple to the bag (it also releases ethylene). Don’t want to wait a day? You can
ripen bananas in minutes or hours using an oven or freezer.
What are some alternatives to cream cheese frosting?
It’s hard to go wrong with a
creamy caramel frosting. Feeling a bit more adventurous? Why not go Elvis-inspired with a
chocolate peanut butter frosting? Spread over the top, then sprinkle the banana bars with chopped peanuts or crumbled cooked bacon!
What other toppings can you add to banana bars?
Try your hand at a classic
homemade chocolate ganache. Cool and spread over the top, then decorate with dried banana chips or chopped pecans. Or, for the simplest topping of all, lightly dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Research contributed by Christine Rukavena, Taste of Home Book Editor
Reviews
I have been making this recipe for 20+ years and anyone who has tried it just loves it. It's wonderful and a quick dessert. My daughter's old boyfriend use to bring over the stuff to make it and I would make a batch just for him.
I made these and they turned out WAY to sugary and not moist at all. Why two cups of sugar when you have the natural sweetness of the bananas. Really disappointed.
Made this recipe to the letter except added walnuts to the batter and frosting. Batter mixes up well and bakes quickly in the sheet cake pan. Frosting is tasty, but does not have as strong of a cream cheese flavor as recipes made without the added butter this one has. The cake is relatively moist and has a nice texture, but without any spices, it tastes a bit bland. I will make this again, but will add some cinnamon and/or nutmeg to give it a bit of a boost in flavor.
Excellent!!! For the frosting I substituted 1tsp banana extract and 1tsp vanilla extract! It made such a huge difference! (I LOVE bananas). I’ve had tons of compliments. I’ll definitely make it again and again and again!,,,
Excellent!! I cut sugar in half and used a little brown sugar as some other reviewers did and only made half the icing recipe. Very tender, moist, perfect texture. Best banana bread I have had.
Made it with a brown butter frosting instead.
I have made this recipe numerous of times
Karen-I got your recipe when it was first published in Taste of Home. I’m currently living in Egypt and I make it a lot. We have a banana vendor almost at my front door. Thank you so much for sharing.
These bars are AMAZING!! I'd eat the whole pan myself ! I use only one cup of sugar and 4 ripe bananas. They are sweet without the exra cup plus adding the frosting makes them even sweeter. Not sure what 2-star Pamala did back in Feb 2020 but ive been making these for YEARS!! Tried and true this recipe is definitely more then 5 stars!! Its quick to maje as well. Kids and adults will love it!!
I have made this so many times! It is a favorite of ours. Freezes in cut pieces very well. I usually add about 1/2 c ground walnuts just because we love them!