Banana Bars with Orange Frosting

Very Old Recipe

How many times have you had bananas “go beyond”? Happens to us all the time and it goes against my grain to throw them out. This is one of my favorite ways to use up those overripe bananas. These bars are so moist and dense, and with orange frosting, it’s a WOW!

You would all get a chuckle if you could see the recipe card that I have for these bars. It is so old and not very accurate. It calls for a “carton of sour cream”, but it doesn’t tell me what size. Lucky I remember from years of making these, that I know it is a small carton or 1 cup. It also calls for “oleo”. Young people today probably don’t even know what this is. Obviously, I substitute with butter. And, of course, there are no directions.

I have been making these bars for at least 40 years, and still are one of my favorite things to have in the freezer for guests or even myself -:))

Ingredients

Banana Bars

½ Cup Butter (room temperature)

1 ½ Cups Sugar

2 Eggs

1 Cup Sour cream

3 Mashed bananas

1 Teaspoon vanilla

1 Teaspoon Salt

2 Cups Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking soda

Black Walnuts (Optional)

Orange Frosting

1 Box powdered sugar (approximately 3 1/3 Cups)

1/3 Cup Butter (room temperature)

2 to 3 Tablespoons orange juice

1 Teaspoon orange zest

Preparation

Banana Bars

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 10 x 17 jelly roll pan.

Cream the butter and sugar. Add 2 eggs and mix well. Add the sour cream and mashed bananas and mix well. Add vanilla, salt, flour and baking soda until well combined. Add nuts at this point, if using. Mix again.

Spread into pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool before frosting.

Orange Frosting

In a mixing bowl, add the powdered sugar, butter and 2 tablespoons of the orange juice. Mix well until smooth. If it is too thick, add a little bit of orange juice at a time until it reaches a spreading consistency. Add the orange zest and mix until combined.