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Sunday, April 28, 2013

Banana Bars with Browned Butter Icing



It's Sunday night and like always, I'm amazed and how quickly the weekend just flew by.   Weekend pedis, restaurant patios open, long puppy walks on the trails....oh welcome spring.  

Banana bars have nothing to do with spring really, but they are so good, I hope you'll easily forgive the lack of  logical transition from one paragraph to the next.  Seriously, these are awesome--think banana cake but with super awesome brown butter flavor.  The bars a little sweet but that hasn't stopped me from making these many, many times since finding the recipe.  It's a little bit addicting actually.  Some addictions are just so right. 






Banana Bars with Browned Butter Icing
adapted from Bake or Break

Ingredients

2 cups flour (plus 1 tbsp if at high altitude)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup softened butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup  light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup greek yogurt
1 3/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (3-4 bananas)

For the icing:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons milk (more or less to reach desired consistency)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a 9x13 pan and dust with flour.
  2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well. Mix in sour cream and bananas.
  4. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
  5. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.
  6. Bake 225-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Place pan on wire rack to cool slightly while you prepare the icing.
To make the icing:
  1. Place butter in a medium pan. Melt butter over medium heat. Continue cooking until butter foams and brown specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan.
  2. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly
  3. In a large bowl combine confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and about 1 tablespoon of milk. Add butter and stir well. Add remaining milk little by little to spreadable consistency.  Spread on warm bars and allow to cool