Banana Split Bars are a fun sounding name for cakey banana bars that are topped with a cream cheese frosting. The banana bar batter has pineapple in it, and since the bars are also topped with walnuts and cherries, they will certainly be as satisfying as a big banana split from Dairy Queen. Okay, maybe not quite that, but they are good banana bars.
This recipe calls for a 9x13 inch pan, but if you want to make the bars thinner you could try spreading the batter over a larger surface area such as a 15x10 inch rimmed pan. The bake time would need to be reduced somewhat, but spreading the batter thinner would make the Banana Split Bars more like bar cookies than cake. Not that there's anything wrong with cake!
Recipe
Banana Split Bars
Banana Split Bars are a cakey bar cookie take on the ice cream dessert. These could also double as cake.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 9 oz/250 grams
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 extra-ripe medium bananas pureed or mashed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 oz can crushed pineapple drained
- ¼ cup maraschino cherries drained, halved, patted dry
- ½ cup toasted chopped walnuts optional
Icing:
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- 3 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 ½ to 2 cups powdered sugar more if desired
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1-2 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9 inch metal pan with non-stick foil or parchment paper.
- Mix together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside.
- Beat pureed bananas, sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla together in a large mixing boil. Add flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in pineapple, cherries and walnuts. Pour batter into pan and spread to edges.
- Bake 30-35 minutes. Cool completely, and then frost with icing. Decorate with extra cherries and nuts if desired.
- Icing: Combine butter and cream cheese and beat until fluffy. Add sugar, stir well and then beat until light. It’s best to use an electric mixer for this. Beat in vanilla. Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk and beat until light and fluffy. Ice bars.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
kitty62 says
This recipe was a thumbs up all the way. good way to get rid of those over ripe bananas. the only thing i didnt put in it was the walnut.....but only because i didnt have any. yum-yum-yum!! thank you again for another winner.
Anna says
Glad you liked the bars, Bev!
Bev says
I had a few over ripe bananas, so I was searching your site last evening looking for a recipe. I decided to give these a try. I didn't have crushed pineapple, so I substituted part of a can of Dole Tropical fruit. I pureed the fruit first. YUM! These bars are awesome. This recipe is going in my go-to file for sure! 🙂
Allison says
Hi Anna!
I just discovered your blog a few weeks ago, and I've been drooling over it ever since!
I made these bars this weekend, and they were a big hit with the whole crowd. We're not walnut-loving folks, and we are major chocoholics, so I figured it would be an acceptable yet still banana-split related swap to put in chocolate chips instead of walnuts, and then melted chocolate chips to drizzle across the top.
Due to the added sweetness of the chocolate, these were VERY rich, so just cut them into bite sized pieces.
giz says
I saw the picture, hit the tag button right away and then started reading. I'll have this made before the end of the week - wow, wow, wow.
Katrina says
Darn it, Anna. You've done it again--sabotaged my diet, that is! 😉 I just happened to have everything to make these--the pineapple was even open in the fridge and needed to be used. I was going to make my usual banana muffins today anyway, so I made these. I made some minor changes, which I will post on my blog, but I did make them in mini muffins pans instead of in a sheet for bars and I really can't decide if they fall in the muffin category or the cupcake category. I want to call them muffins, so they are "better" for me to eat, but I also iced them and am just not sure that falls into the "healthier" category. At least I made them mini size, I think one will be okay, right! They are de-lish!
Hope you've had a great day at sea world with the girls!
Carole R. says
Just finished icing these. Now if I can only leave them alone until dinner.
Very fast and easy recipe.
Patricia Scarpin says
I love the name already, Anna. 🙂
have fun!
Louise says
Hi Anna,
Those banana bars look scrumptious! I don't mind watching them while you're having fun at Sea World. (of course they may be all gone by the time you return:) Kudos to those girls of yours. I'm sure they deserve every last splash of FUN!
Anna says
Well, we are all packed. Good luck with the bar cookies!
Debbie, to answer your question, these bars are denser and richer than the tropical banana bars and the frosting makes them even better.
Heidi says
We just made the trip from Austin to San Antone last weekend. ugh there is not enough shade at that place! Stay cool and avoid the splash zone! 😉
Debbi says
Hi, I have some older banana's to use this week. What did you like better, the banana split bars or the tropical banana bread? They seem very similar and both look delicious.
Clumbsy Cookie says
What a great smell to have at home! Have fun tomorrow with Fuzz!
Carole R. says
Since it is very cool I will be making these tonight, as son as Al gets home with my maraaschino cherries. I have some bananas that have reached to "use or lose stage".
Have fun at Sea World with the Brownie troop. Post lots of pictures.
Lizzie, by the way, is one cute pup. But she already knows that.
beth says
These look great. Im always looking for ways to use up the over ripe banana's that no-one wants to eat in our house. These are going to be a must try!
VeggieGirl says
Banana Split bars?? Yes, please!!
Have fun at Sea World tomorrow!!
Cathy - www.wheresmydamnanswer.com says
Yum - this is a perfect treat to make for the 4th of July bbq...
Thanks for this one -
Have a great time at Sea World - I lived in SD for about 5 years and do I miss it!!
Cheers
Cathy
http://www.wheresmydamnanswer.com
Janice says
Have a great time at Sea World!
Congratulations to Fuzz and her pals for the great cookie sales.
Lizzie and Fuzz pic in the tub is adorable;-)
Thanks for this recipe, I am rushing out to beg my produce guy for ripe bananas.
Janet says
OH yum, you are leaving us with "homework to do" by trying these recipes;-) lol Have a great time at Sea World! I look forward to hearing about it when you get back online.