Peanut Butter Banana Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Icing
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Makes: 15 servings
 
Ingredients
Cake Bars:
  • ¼ cup light sour cream or plain low fat greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 5⅝ ounces (~1½ cups) cake flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 ounces (4 tablespoons / ½ stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 9⅜ ounces (~1¼) cups granulated sugar
  • 2 x-large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cups mashed very ripe bananas (~2 large bananas)
  • ½ cup peanut butter chips
Icing:
  • 8 ounces light cream cheese
  • 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake Bars:
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; grease and flour a 9x13 baking dish and set aside
  2. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in sour cream and let stand
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt; set aside
  4. In the large bowl of an electric mixer,  beat sugar, butter and peanut butter on medium-high speed for several minutes until light and fluffy
  5. Add eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed
  6. Stir in bananas and mix on low speed; add flour and mix again on low speed low speed just until combined
  7. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in sour cream; fold in peanut butter chips and do not overmix
  8. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake 27-32 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from the center; set aside and allow to cool
Icing:
  1. Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer for several minutes or until light and creamy. Add butter and beat until well combined
  2. Add powdered sugar and mix on low speed; when sugar is incorporated, add vanilla and beat icing on high speed until mixture is light and fluffy; spread over cooled cake
  3. Cover cake and store at room temperature up to three days
Notes
Adapted from my mom’s banana cake recipe
Recipe by Keep It Sweet Desserts at http://www.keepitsweetdesserts.com/peanut-butter-banana-cake-bars-with-cream-cheese-icing/