Whenever I buy a bunch of bananas I always know that I am going to have to use some of them to bake something. We just never eat them up quick enough! This time when I bought bananas it was with the intent to make these bars!
I found this recipe in my most recent issue of Cooking Light. The title in itself sounded tempting. I knew, without a doubt, I would be trying this recipe! It is different in the fact that the bananas are roasted in the oven with brown sugar and butter - before incorporating into the batter.
The house smelled wonderfully banana like while the bananas and brown sugar were roasting. Once the mixture came out and cooled a bit I had to try some of the banana and brown sugar....don't tell me you wouldn't do the same! ;o)
These bars didn't travel too far from home. Grumpy is eating them along with moi! I did take a few to drop off to my kids!!
I have to mention here to Cristine (who tickled me to death by telling me in a comment she had to get her "Shelby" fix) that if she were closer to NY she could have some too! I hope she is enjoying her visit to AZ!
Roasted Banana Bars with Browned Butter-Pecan Frosting Cooking Light Jan/Feb 2009
Bars:
2 cups sliced ripe banana (about 3 medium)
⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
9 ounces cake flour (about 2 ¼ cups)
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup nonfat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup butter, softened
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
Baking spray with flour
Frosting:
¼ cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
⅓ cup (3 ounces) ⅓-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup chopped pecans, toasted
Preheat oven to 400°.To prepare bars, combine banana, brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon butter in an 8-inch square baking dish. Bake at 400° for 35 minutes, stirring after 17 minutes. Cool slightly.Reduce the oven temperature to 375°.Weigh or lightly spoon cake flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 9 ounces (about 2 ¼ cups) flour, soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Combine banana mixture, buttermilk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in another medium bowl. Place ½ cup butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs to granulated sugar mixture; mix well. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternating with banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.Pour batter into a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with baking spray. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.To prepare frosting, melt ¼ cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly. Combine browned butter, powdered sugar, cream cheese, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer until smooth. Spread frosting over cooled bars. Sprinkle with pecans.Calories: 221 Fat: 8.4g (sat 4.7g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.6g) Protein: 2.3gCarbohydrate: 35.1gFiber: 0.6gCholesterol: 39mgIron: 1mgSodium: 117mgCalcium: 23mg
Andrea says
Roasting bananas first is pure genius. Pure. Your cake looks so beautiful!
Snooky doodle says
this cake looks awesome and I like the caramelised banana 🙂 I have to try this. I love your blog
Robin Sue says
I have never heard of cooking the bananas that way for cake before. Wow I bet that makes it the best! Will have to try this out as my middle little loves banana cake/bread. You sure do find some great recipes to share. I SU'd this!
Chocolate Shavings says
Those bars look REALLY good!
Bellini Valli says
This really is an innovative recipe. I can't wait to try it...and I love Cooking Light!!
Kaitlin says
Oooo yum! That frosting looks insane!
Hayley says
These bars sound amazing. I love the chunks of banana dotted throughout. Thanks for sharing!
The Duo Dishes says
How is it that Cooking Light always has the best sweet treat recipes?!
noble pig says
Looks great!
Judy says
I found your post through foodgawker. As it happens, I made this recipe from CL over the weekend for a party and it was a huge hit: preferred 2 to 1 over Texas Sheet cake (gooey chocolate cake).
One bit of advice, if you like frosting, multiply the frosting recipe by 1.5 as I did.
Pam says
Oh Shelby, this is my kind of cake...I love the frosting.
Cathy - wheresmydamnanswer says
Looks incredible and I have bananas in the kitchen right now that need to go to good use!!
Stephanie says
That looks so delicious! It's funny though, we often have bananas left over as well, but if I buy them with the intent of using the leftovers, everyone eats them too fast and there aren't any more to bake with! Grrr...
MJPatrick says
I am loving every bits of blog! Thanks for the support.
Daily Spud says
Lovely - just made some banana bread (well, cake, really) the other day and it can't be beat 🙂 Those bars sound like a really interesting twist on bananas-in-cake though!
recipes2share says
Your cakes still don't look light to me - they look fantastic. I haven't made banana bread for years so think I may try this out (I need light right now!)
JyLnC says
I made a cake last week from left over bananas. No matter how hard I try to use them before they become over ripe, I always seem to have a few left over. I love Banana cake but my dh and son are not fans. :>(
Of course, there was more cake for me.:>)
This looks like another good solution to the banana dilemma.
Carolyn Jung says
This looks like a nice change from run-of-the-mill banana bread baked in a loaf pan. And I bet kids and adults love it.
Creative One says
I wish I had some bananas so I could make these bars right now.
The pictures look awesome Shelby!
chuck says
it just doesn't get any better than this. I love any baked good with bananas. Yummy!