Ooey Gooey Banana Bars with Salted Caramel Frosting
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These ooey gooey banana bars really live up to their name. They feature a buttery sweet and moist banana cake that pairs perfectly with a creamy and delicious salted caramel frosting. The flavor and texture of these bars is truly incredible – they’ll be a perfect addition to any party, a treat the whole family will love, and a new favorite way to use up those leftover bananas!
If you love banana recipes, you’ll really love these ooey gooey banana bars – they’re one of the best banana desserts we’ve tried. They are richer and sweeter than banana bread, with a more moist and creamy texture than banana cake, and so delicious that you might have a hard time stopping at just one. Give this one a try next time you need a crowd-pleasing dessert. It will be the star of your next party, potluck, or bake sale, and will have everyone asking for your recipe!
Why We Love This Recipe
- Banana lovers will go nuts for these frosted banana bars that are bursting with sweet and creamy banana flavor.
- You can change the frosting flavor or add mix-ins to make lots of great variations on this banana bar recipe.
- It’s a great recipe when you need an alternative to the usual brownie or cookie bars.
- It’s the best way to use up your overripe bananas.
Ingredients
For the bars:
- Unsalted butter (melted)
- Light brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Large eggs (room temperature)
- All-purpose flour
- Kosher salt
- Mashed bananas
For the caramel buttercream:
- Unsalted butter (melted)
- Powdered sugar
- Salt
- Caramel topping
- Whole milk
How to Make Ooey Gooey Banana Bars
Step One: Make the Batter
- Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick baking spray.
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and brown sugar and mix on medium speed until creamy.
- Reduce the speed to low, add the vanilla, and mix until well combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, continuing to mix on low speed until well combined.
- Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the bananas.
- Pour the batter into the baking pan, spreading it evenly across the entire pan.
Step Two: Bake
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the center is set. Transfer the bars to a wire rack and allow them to cool.
Step Three: Make the Frosting
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the butter, sugar, caramel topping, and salt on low to medium speed for 3 minutes or until well combined.
- Add the milk and mix for another 2 minutes on low speed.
- Once the banana bars have cooled, top with the buttercream frosting.
Tips and Suggestions
- Use very ripe or brown bananas for a bar that’s extra gooey and sweet.
- To ripen your bananas faster, put them in a paper bag and place them in the refrigerator.
- When making the buttercream, be sure the butter is at room temperature. Cold butter will cause the buttercream to seize up.
- For best results, start with the whisk attachment when mixing the buttercream, then switch to the paddle attachment to smooth it out and remove large bubbles.
Variations
- Instead of using buttercream, spread a chocolate ganache over the top of the bars.
- Decorate the bars with dried banana chips, mini chocolate chips, or pecans.
- You can add chocolate chips to the batter to turn these into chocolate chip banana bars. Peanut butter chips will work too!
- Make them Elvis-inspired by topping with peanut butter frosting and sprinkling with bacon crumbles.
How Do I Store Ooey Gooey Banana Bars?
Place the bars in an airtight container with a paper towel at the bottom or cover them with plastic wrap. You can store them at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Can I Make Them Gluten Free?
I haven’t specifically tried to make a gluten free version, but you should be able to do so by substituting gluten-free flour for the all purpose flour and adding a ¼ of a teaspoon of xanthan gum.
More Bar Recipes
Ooey Gooey Banana Bars
Ingredients
Banana Bars
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ripe bananas mashed
Caramel Buttercream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, room temperature
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup caramel topping
- 1½ teaspoons whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick baking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl of a standing mixer, on medium speed, add the butter and brown sugar and mix until creamy.1 cup unsalted butter, 2 cups light brown sugar
- Reduce the speed low speed, and add the vanilla and mix until combined.1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- Begin to add the eggs one at a time, continue to mix on low until well combined.2 large eggs
- In a medium sized bowl add the flour and salt and whisk to combine.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, slowly, mix until well combined.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the bananas.2 ripe bananas
- Pour the batter into an even layer on the baking pan.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until the center is set.
For the Salted Caramel Buttercream
- In a large bowl of a stand, with a paddle attachment add the butter, sugar, salt, and caramel topping and mix on low-medium until well combined for about 3 minutes.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 2 cups confectioner's sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup caramel topping
- Add the milk and mix for another 2 minutes on low speed.1½ teaspoons whole milk
- Once the banana bars are cool, top with the buttercream.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Have not tried them yet but I am sure they are delicious!!!