Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting!

 

We eat a lot of bananas at our house or really, I should say, my husband eats a lot of bananas.  Therefore, every time I want to make a recipe with bananas it's a struggle to keep them long enouigh to get good and ripe to bake with..  He will eat them up every time!   This recipe uses two very ripe bananas and I think I bought bananas three times to get two to use.   I am going to have to find a good hiding place for them next time!

When my husband finally got the finished product he loved these and was glad I made him leave the last two bananas.   If you love banana bread, these are even better!   They are also really easy which is always nice!   

Here is what you will need:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1  1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs

1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup walnuts or pecans chopped (optional)

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

4 Tbs. butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

4 cups confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until fluffy.

Add eggs, sour cream, cinnamon and vanilla, and beat just until incorporated.  

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  

Gradually add to the wet mixture and mix with the mixer until well blended. Stir in the bananas.

 Fold in the nuts if you are using nuts!

Spray a 10" x 15"  jelly roll pan with nonstick baking spray and pour the batter evenly in the pan.   Bake for 20-25 minutes.   This bakes fast because it's thin so don't over bake.  Test with a pick at 20 minutes and if it comes out clean it's done.

Cool the bars completely before frosting.   While they cool makes your cream cheese frosting.  Beat the cream cheese and the butter until fluffy in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer.  Add the vanilla and gradually add the confectioner's sugar.   Frost the cooled bars!  

Cut in squares and serve!  These are great for breakfrast or brunch, an afternoon snack or dessert after supper!   

These won't last long, but what is leftover, store in the fridge overnight! 

Easy Key Lime Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting!!!

   

 

This pretty "Key Lime Cake" just looks like Spring to me!  I love the taste of key lime and there aren't many good recipes that you use it in.  This cake is a good change of pace from Key Lime Pie!

This is a really moist cake and it great for special occasions, because even though it's really fairly easy to make, it looks like you fussed.   It's prettiest made as a three layer cake, but you can also make it in a 9"x13" pan.  

Here is what you will need:

1 box lemon cake mix (make sure you get a full size cake mix and not those they have reduced to 10.5 oz.)

1 pkg. (3oz.) lime gelatin (Jello)

3/4 cup orange juice

2 tsp. vanilla

5 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

Glaze

1/2 cup key lime juice (fresh squeezed or bottled)

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Cream Cheese Frosting

12 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

6 cups powdered sugar

*This is basically a recipe and a half of cream cheese frosting, but you need this much for the three layers.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix cake mix with lime gelatin and orange juice.  Add vanilla, eggs. and oil.  Mix until well blended, but do not over mix.  

Prepare three 9" cake pans by placing parchment or wax paper circles cut to fit in the bottoms.  Spray with nonstick spray or butter and flour them.  Divide the batter evenly.  Place in oven for 17 to 20 minutes. Remove to cool.  If you use a 9"x13" pan, bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Combine the 1/2 cup lime juice with the powdered sugar.  While the cake layers are still warm, poke a few holes in them while still in the pans with a fork or toothpick and pour the lime juice glaze over each one.   Allow them to cool in the pans. 

Prepare the cream cheese frosting by creaming the cream cheese and butter until fluffy.  Add the vanilla and the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until it is light and fluffy.

Place a layer of the cake on a cake plate and frost the top, repeating with the other two layers. 

Frost the entire cake and if you want to garnish use some lime slices!  Place in the refrigerator and keep chilled until ready to serve.  This is a very moist cake and it gets even moister the next day!

Key Lime Cake!

  

 

This pretty "Key Lime Cake" just looks like Spring to me!  I love the taste of key lime and there aren't many good recipes that you use it in.  This cake is a good change of pace from Key Lime Pie!

This is a really moist cake and it great for special occasions, because even though it's really fairly easy to make, it looks like you fussed.   It's prettiest made as a three layer cake, but you can also make it in a 9"x13" pan.  Here is what you will need:

1 box lemon cake mix (make sure you get a full size cake mix and not those they have reduced to 10.5 oz.)

1 pkg. (3oz.) lime gelatin (Jello)

3/4 cup orange juice

2 tsp. vanilla

5 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

Glaze

1/2 cup key lime juice (fresh squeezed or bottled)

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Cream Cheese Frosting

12 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

6 cups powdered sugar

*This is basically a recipe and a half of cream cheese frosting, but you need this much for the three layers.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix cake mix with lime gelatin and orange juice.  Add vanilla, eggs. and oil.  Mix until well blended, but do not over mix.  

Prepare three 9" cake pans by placing parchment or wax paper circles cut to fit in the bottoms.  Spray with nonstick spray or butter and flour them.  Divide the batter evenly.  Place in oven for 17 to 20 minutes. Remove to cool.  If you use a 9"x13" pan, bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Combine the 1/2 cup lime juice with the powdered sugar.  While the cake layers are still warm, poke a few holes in them while still in the pans with a fork or toothpick and pour the lime juice glaze over each one.   Allow them to cool in the pans. 

Prepare the cream cheese frosting by creaming the cream cheese and butter until fluffy.  Add the vanilla and the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until it is light and fluffy.

Place a layer of the cake on a cake plate and frost the top, repeating with the other two layers. 

Frost the entire cake and if you want to garnish use some lime slices!  Place in the refrigerator and keep chilled until ready to serve.  This is a very moist cake and it gets even moister the next day!







Easy Peasy Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting!

These Red Velvet Cookies are so easy, it's ridiculous, really!   Anybody can make these and they are perfect to get the kids involved with.  Buy some cute Valentine sprinkles of various shapes and let them go crazy.  Of course the temptation to eat them before they ever get the frosting on them, much less the sprinkles will be hard to resist.  These are so good!  This is what you will need:

1 box Red Velvet cake mix (be sure to get the 18.5 oz. size)

2 eggs

6 Tbs. butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

Cream Cheese Frosting

1  8oz. package cream cheese, softened

4 Tbs. butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix cake mix, butter, eggs and vanilla until well blended.  You can mix this with just a whisk or large spoon.  Spray a heavy cookie sheet with nonstick spray or line it with parchment paper. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Scoop about 1 Tablespoon out and roll into a ball about the size of a small walnut. Place on the prepared cookie sheet and just slightly press down to flatten a little. Bake for 9-10 minutes.   They will just be starting to crack around the edges and on the top.  That's the way they should look. 

Remove from oven and let sit for 2-3 minutes before removing to a rack to cool.  Let cool completely before frosting.

Make your cream cheese frosting while the cookies cool.  Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Beat in the powdered sugar and add vanilla.

You can chill the frosting while the cookies cool and it goes on the cookies and sets up a little easier or use it at room temperature...whichever works for you!  Sprinkle the tops with sprinkles or colored sugar or just leave plain!