Roasted Banana Bars with Browned Butter–Pecan Frosting
By Hapemom
This recipe is a great way to use ripe, speckled bananas ... it was the dessert winner in Cooking Light's 2008 Ultimate Reader Recipe Contest. The roasted bananas add a caramel sweetness to the light-and-fluffy bars, which are topped with cream cheese icing and chopped pecans for the perfect amount of tanginess and crunch.
Ingredients
- BARS:
- 2 cups sliced ripe banana (about 3 medium)
- 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 T. butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
- 9 ounces cake flour (about 2 1/4 cups)
- 3/4 t. baking soda
- 1/2 t. baking powder
- 1/4 c. nonfat buttermilk
- 1 t. vanilla extract
- 1/2 c. butter, softened
- 1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- Baking spray with flour
- ___________________
- FROSTING:
- 1/4 c. butter
- 2 c. powdered sugar
- 1/3 c, (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 t. vanilla extract
- 1/4 c. chopped pecans, toasted
Details
Servings 2
Preparation
Step 1
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. 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.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°.
4. Weigh or lightly spoon cake flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 9 ounces (about 2 1/4 cups) flour, soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Combine banana mixture, buttermilk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in another medium bowl. Place 1/2 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.
5. 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.
6. To prepare frosting, melt 1/4 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.
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