Thursday, May 12, 2005

Banana Bars with Browned Butter Pecan Frosting

Banana Bars with Browned Butter Pecan Frosting (Adapted from Land O Lakes)

For the cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the frosting

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

To make the cake

Preheat oven to 375

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until combined. Add sour cream, mashed banana and vanilla - mix until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Scoop the mixture into a 10" x 15" baking pan coated with nonstick spray - spread the top smooth with an off-set spatula. Bake until golden and a toothpick placed in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs attached, about 18 to 25 minutes. Place on a wire rack and cool completely.

To make the frosting

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium - continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the butter releases a nutty aroma and just starts to turn golden, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove and let cool completely.

In a small bowl, mix together browned butter, confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, vanilla and salt until well combined and smooth. Spread frosting over the bars and sprinkle with pecans.

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12 comments:

  1. OK, this has been bugging me for a long time: HOW do you manage to cut bars into such neat, tidy little squares? Mine are always oddly shaped, and if frosting is involved, it's even worse.

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  2. These look so yummy, can't wait to try them!

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  3. These look delicious. I love the sound of the brown butter icing - yum.

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  4. Even the name of the recipe has my mouth watering!

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  5. Lauren - Patience and a warm, clean and sharp knife!

    Tamy - Thanks!

    Katie - And it is just as delicious as it sounds!

    JEP - Yeah!

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  6. I have some baananas that I have to do something with in the next day or so or throw them out. I was going to make (another) banana bread, but this sounds like a nice break from that.

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  7. I'm going to make these this afternoon, but I noticed an issue with the recipe:

    "n a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs..." and then further down "Combine sugar, 3/4 cup butter, brown sugar.." (I know what you mean, just figured you hadn't seen it.)

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  8. I see what you mean Heather - it should be fixed, thanks!

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  9. I made these yesterday and have had people begging for the recipe!

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  10. Jenni - Fantastic! Thanks for the feedback.

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  11. These were a hit at my house and at the office.

    They're going to the SuperBowl party too!

    Thanks for posting them again!

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  12. Teri - Fantastic! Thank you for coming back to let us know!

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