Description
This easy sheet cake recipe uses ripe bananas and sour cream for incredible texture. Perfect for potlucks, bake sales, and feeding a crowd.
Ingredients
For the Banana Bars:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3¾–4 cups powdered sugar (to taste)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a large jelly-roll pan (about 15×10 inches) generously or line it with parchment paper. I always use parchment because it makes cleanup a breeze and the bars lift out perfectly!
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy – this should take about 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer. Don’t rush this step! It’s creating those tiny air pockets that make the bars tender.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Your mixture should look smooth and creamy.
Stir in the sour cream and vanilla extract until everything is smooth and well combined. The batter might look a little weird at this point – that’s totally normal!
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. This ensures everything is evenly distributed and there are no clumps of baking soda hiding in there.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Here’s where you need to be gentle – overmixing develops gluten and makes the bars tough instead of tender.
Gently fold in your mashed bananas until they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter. I like to leave a few small chunks for texture, but that’s just me!
Spread the batter evenly in your prepared pan. Use a spatula to smooth it out into all the corners. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
This is the hardest part – waiting! Let the bars cool completely in the pan before frosting. If you frost them warm, you’ll end up with a melted mess instead of beautiful, spreadable frosting.
Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy – no lumps allowed! Add the vanilla extract, then gradually mix in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired thickness. I usually use about 3¾ cups, but if you like it sweeter, go for the full 4!
Spread that gorgeous frosting evenly over the cooled bars using an offset spatula or butter knife. Cut into squares.
Notes
- Banana ripeness is everything! Those bananas should be heavily spotted or even completely black. The riper they are, the sweeter and more flavorful your bars will be.
- Don’t overmix! Once you add the flour, mix just until you can’t see any more white streaks. Overmixing creates tough, dense bars instead of tender ones.
- Test for doneness early. Start checking at 20 minutes – every oven is different, and you don’t want to overbake these beauties. They should spring back lightly when touched.
- Chill your frosting knife. Run your spatula under cold water and dry it before spreading the frosting for super smooth results.
- Common mistake to avoid: Frosting warm bars. I know it’s tempting, but RESIST! The frosting will melt into a puddle. Trust me, I learned this the hard way at my daughter’s bake sale!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American