Roasted Banana Bars smothered in a browned butter pecan frosting are the perfect light dessert. You read that right, this recipe is light! This dessert comes from Cooking Light Magazine. I just love recipes from Cooking Light, especially desserts! This banana bar is so delicious you would never know that they are light! Roasting the bananas before adding them to the batter gives them a delicious caramel flavor. If you usually make banana bread when you find yourself with over ripe bananas, keep this recipe close at hand, you will be happy you did! 
Roasted Banana Bars with Browned Butter–Pecan Frosting
For the Banana Bars:
- 2 cups sliced ripe banana (about 3 medium)
- 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
For the Browned Butter–Pecan Frosting:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- 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°.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, soda, baking powder, and cinnamon; set aside
- In another medium bowl, combine banana mixture, buttermilk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs; 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 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.
Source: adapted from Cooking Light Magazine, January 2009
Browned butter is my new go-to ingredient!! I love it any way I can get it! I remember when this recipe came out, and I think I saved it… somewhere…
Ohhhh wow those bars look so stunning! The browned butter- pecan frosting sounds suer delicious
Hey there!
Light, eh? Wow, looks decadently rich! I’ll take it!
BTW, I made some PB brownies over the weekend and used your recipe for the PB frosting (via Brown Eyed Baker). They turned out wonderful!
Oh my…I would never have thought light when I saw these. They look delicious. Roasting the bananas is a wonderful idea….the flavor must really pop.
These look delish!
I’m baking with bananas in my kitchen today too!!
Yum this looks awesome! I love Cooking Light too… they have some great recipes!
That’s funny, I was just looking at my frozen ripe bananas and wondering what to do with them. This might be the answer. I don’t have cake flour, I have all purpose and whole wheat, do you think either of these would work? I’m not really a baker, but I do know when I try to modify a baking recipe, it usually doesn’t work well for me
you never cease to amaze me – this bars look delish!!!! i need to try roasting bananas!
Oh my gosh, Christina, these bars are absolutely heavenly! I love banana treats and I bet the butter-pecan frosting just takes these over the edge. Thanks so much for sharing. You have a beautiful blog, and I’m so glad to have found it.
OMG these look so stinking good. Although now I must move on to the whoopie pies in the next post.
I’m almost at a loss for words – these look phenomenal. This reminds me of banana bread but sooo much better. I will definitely make these soon. Thank you so much for sharing!
now i know where to look for cakes and desserts! lovely!