Banana Bread (Heaven)

Seriously.  A.MAZE.ING.  Enough said.  And I'm sure it's super healthy.  This recipe will change your life.  Go grab those bananas that are starting to get brown spots (cuz seriously, even one brown spot means it's time to bake it or freeze it) and whip these up.  You will not be sad.  I even got Brooklyn to eat all her dinner in anticipation of trying this special treat!

(The pictures within the recipe are copied with the recipe, they are not my own)

Ingredients:

Banana Bread Bars:

1-1/2 c. sugar

1 c. sour cream

1/2 c. butter, softened

2 eggs

1-3/4 (3 or 4) ripe bananas, mashed

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Brown Butter Frosting:

1/2 c. butter

4 c. powdered sugar

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 tbsp. milk

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 375F.  Grease and flour 15x10-inch jelly roll pan.  For the bars, in a large bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until creamy.  Blend in bananas and vanilla extract.  Add flour, baking soda, salt, and blend for 1 minute.  Stir in walnuts.

2.  Spread batter evenly into pan.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

3.  Meanwhile, for frosting, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling.  Let the butter turn a delicate brown and remove from heat immediately.

4.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk.  Whisk together until smooth (it should be thicker than a glaze but thinner than frosting).  Using a spatula, spread the brown butter frosting over the warm bars (the frosting will be easier to spread while the bars are still warm). 

Yield: 2 dozen large bars

Rating:  DEFINITELY 5 stars.  And honestly, I think I undercooked them a little... remember, I am still living with only a toaster oven.  Only 2 more weeks of that!  The undercooked-ness was perfect!