SANDRA'S UNBELIEVABLE BANANA GLAZED BARS

Full-flavored, light and moist dessert
that will, without a doubt, keep you coming back for more...

Servings: (36 small or 18 large bars)

Prep: 10 Mins.

Bake: 20 – 22 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup (1 cube) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

½ cup dark brown sugar, slightly packed

3 large eggs

1-1/2 cups (3 medium) ripe bananas, mashed

1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder (or regular)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of table salt

ICING:

1 (small 4 oz. pkg.) cream cheese, at room temperature

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted through a sieve

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-2 teaspoons water (approximate, to your desired consistency)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 15x10x1” rimmed baking sheet, lined with parchment paper then spray top of parchment paper as well; set aside.

In bowl large bowl, using a hand mixer, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, bananas and vanilla; mix to combine until creamy. Sift through a sieve over the large bowl of wet ingredients the flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and table salt; gently mix on low into creamed mixture, just until blended. 

Transfer mixture to prepared baking sheet. Bake at 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in baking sheet on a wire rack draped with a clean kitchen towel. 

Meanwhile, for the icing, in a medium bowl beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Sift, and then add sifted confectioners' sugar.  Add vanilla, a bit of water a little at a time, and beat until smooth, until desired drizzle consistency is reached. 

Flip bars over to remove parchment paper (I do so from the rack to a baking sheet), then re-flip to right side up.  Cut bars into 36 squares, or 18 larger triangle bars. Drizzle icing on bars diagonally using a teaspoon sweeping in a back-n-forth motion. (See photo below). ~ Enjoy!

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Tip: I like to let icing set to sufficiently dry for a minimum of 2 hours before storing in an airtight container.