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Old Fashioned Sour Cream Banana Bars

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Cindy Gibbs@My Country Table
  • Prep Time: 15 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 Minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 20 Bars 1x
  • Category: Bars/Cookies
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Description

These utterly delicious Banana Bars should really be called cake.  They are super moist like the best cake ever and super flavorful and a browned butter icing just sends them right over the top!!  Get a tall glass of milk ready and you won’t stop at one.  I promise!!


Ingredients

Units Scale

FOR THE BARS

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups very ripe bananas, mashed (about 3 large)
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional (I use them)

FOR THE BROWNED BUTTER ICING

  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 5 tablespoons half & half


Instructions

FOR THE BARS

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 10 x 15 jelly roll pan and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda and set aside.
  3. To a large mixing bowl, add the butter, sour cream and sugar.  Using a hand mixer (or stand mixer), mix on medium speed until the sugar is well incorporated into the butter and sour cream.  Add the eggs and vanilla and mix for about 1 minute until everything is well combined.  Add the dry ingredients and mix just until they are almost fully incorporated.  Add the mashed bananas and nuts and mix for a few seconds.  Stop and scrap down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and mix just until incorporated.
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula or an offset spatula to spread the batter out evenly.  I also gently shake the pan back and forth a few times.
  5. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow the bars to cool while you make the icing.

FOR THE BROWNED BUTTER ICING

  1. Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Melt the butter.  Once the butter has melted allow the butter to brown.  This will take about 4 to 5 minutes.  Slightly lift the pan from the burner and swirl the butter around in it, every few seconds.  Don’t walk away from it.  It can go from browned to burnt very fast.  The butter should be a golden brown and foamy with little flecks of brown pieces in it.  Immediately remove from the heat and transfer to a medium size bowl.
  2. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and half & half.  Using a hand mixer, mix until smooth and easily spreadable.
  3. Spread the icing over the slightly warm bars.
  4. Allow the icing to set up and slice into bars.  You can slice these into 20 small bars or 16 large ones, but either way, they will disappear within minutes!!
  5. If you happen to have leftovers, wrap them securely and they will stay fresh for up to 3 to 4 days.