Banana Bars (Taste of Home)

These bars are very yummy. They taste just like one of my favorite banana bread recipes, but they are almost better because you get more of the golden sweet top with each bite since these are baked in a jellyroll pan (cookie sheet with edges). These are moist and light, and there's just a touch of extra sweetness in them, which I like. I got this recipe from my friend, Janese. She found the recipe in a Taste of Home magazine. These are best fresh and warm because then the sugar on the top tastes sort of crystallized. If you eat them once they've just cooled, you could even forgo the frosting. Speaking of which, the original recipe called for cream cheese frosting, but I think I might actually prefer a thin powdered sugar glaze. I can't decide, so I'll include both recipes. I snagged the powdered sugar glaze recipe from Amy's banana bar recipe which she's already posted on this site.

Frosted Banana Bars (from Taste of Home)
submitted by Erin

½ cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Dash salt

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

or, Powdered Sugar Glaze:
1 1/4 C. powdered sugar
1 T. butter, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1-2 T. milk

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until blended. Transfer to a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
For frosting, in a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost bars. Yield: 3 dozen.
Taste of Home Category: Lower Fat; Prep: 15 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling