Banana Bars with Browned Butter Frosting

I have a friend named Kolette. She's one of my exercise buddies and she's a fantastic cook! When the two of us get together, you know we're going to be talking about food. One day, she told me how much her family loves her banana bar recipe. So I looked it up in our neighborhood cookbook and gave it a whirl. And guess what, she was right. They were wonderful, very moist, tender, and so tasty!

Then I remembered a recipe my mother-in-law gave me for browned butter frosting and thought it would be a perfect pairing of flavors. I whipped it up and slathered it on my banana bars and then I was in Heaven!!! Oh my, let me tell you how good it was! The frosting has kind of a toffee flavor to it, I think, and it was soooooooooooo perfect for the banana bars.

There are two ways you can make this recipe. Either bake the bars in a 9x13 inch pan for thicker bars or in a large, rimmed cookie sheet, doubling the frosting recipe, for thinner bars. Either way, they are so very good. You must, MUST try them.

Here's what you'll need:

Banana Bars

1/2 C. butter, softened

1 1/2 C. sugar

2 eggs

1 C. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

2 C. flour

1 tsp. soda

1/4 tsp. salt

2 medium ripe bananas, mashed

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and bananas. Follow with dry ingredients. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan or a large, rimmed cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow bars to cool.

Browned Butter Frosting

1/3 C. butter

3 C. powdered sugar

3 T. cream (or milk)

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Brown butter in a saucepan over medium heat until delicate brown in color.

Remove from the heat and add everything else. Combine well.

Frost cooled bars.

If you make your bars in a cookie sheet, make sure to double this frosting recipe.

Be careful, they disappear quickly!!!