BANANA ORANGE BARS

Banana Orange Bars a perfectly sweet delightful treat with fantastic fresh fruit flavor! Banana and orange combine in this simple frosted dessert bar recipe.

These yummy orange banana bars are made with simple pantry ingredients and are so easy to make. With the banana bread base and savory orange frosting, you can even say these banana bread bars are a healthier treat option!

Banana Orange Bars

I absolutely love this simple Spring recipe! It is so perfect when you find yourself with overripe bananas that you do not want to waste, which is a regular occurrence in my house. They are sweet enough to be dessert, but I also think they make for a fabulous snack too. The bars are light and fluffy enough to be a perfect daytime snack, and the sweet frosting makes them a satisfying dessert dish as well. Give them a try, whip up a batch while the weather is still cool enough to turn the oven on!

Banana Orange Bars Ingredients

Bananas: You will need 1 cup of mashed ripe bananas, this is equal to about 2 bananas.

Sugar: Use ¾ cup of granulated sugar to make the bars perfectly sweet but not overly so.

Coconut oil: Add ½ cup of softened coconut oil. I like to run mine through the microwave for 20 seconds to soften. You could also use vegetable oil if that is what you have on hand.

Eggs: You will need 2 large eggs to help create the perfect texture for these tasty bars.

Flour: Use 1 cup of flour for the structural base of this bread dough.

Cinnamon: Use 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon for a well-spiced treat.

Leavening agents: You will need 1 teaspoon of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of baking soda for these to rise up and bake properly.

Salt: Adding in ½ teaspoon of salt will help to enhance the flavors in the recipe.

Orange frosting

Butter: You will need 2 tablespoons of softened butter for a wonderfully rich-tasting frosting.

Powdered sugar: Using 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar as the frosting base will make it smooth and sweet.

Orange juice: To get the right consistency and flavor, use 2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice.

Orange peel: Use ¼ teaspoon of grated orange peel (orange zest) for the frosting plus some more for sprinkling on top.

How to make Banana Orange Bars

Prep

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Then, grease a 9 x 13 jelly roll pan with non-stick cooking spray, set the pan aside.

Make batter

Next, in a medium size mixing bowl, mash the bananas, then add in the sugar, oil, and eggs, mix until well blended.

Then, add in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the wet mixture and stir to combine. Do not overmix the batter or else you will cause the glutens in the flour to develop which could result in dense or rubbery textured bars. Stir until just combined.

Bake

Proceed to pour the prepared batter into the greased 9×13 pan. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Test with a toothpick to ensure it is baked through. If you can insert a toothpick into the center of the “cake” and have it come out clean or with just a few crumbs, then it is fully cooked through.

Let the bread cool for 1 hour before frosting it. This will help to keep the frosting from melting and creating a mess.

Make frosting

Start by creaming together the softened butter and powder sugar in a bowl with a whisk. Then, add in the orange juice and orange peel and mix until smooth.

Proceed to spread evenly over the cooled banana bars. If you want to sprinkle some additional orange peel on the top of the frosting that would make for extra delicious and pretty bars.

Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Can you freeze Banana Orange bars?

Yes, these bars could be frozen for later. this is a great way to get them to last longer without spoiling or to get them to last for an event if you are trying to make them in advance. After following along with the recipe and frosting the tops, I recommend cutting them into small 2-3 inch-sized squares and placing them in little baggies or individually wrapping them in plastic wrap before freezing.

Place the bars onto a baking sheet to freeze solid before wrapping in plastic wrap as this will make the process far less messy and way easier. After you’ve wrapped the bars, place them into an airtight container for up to 3 months. Mow when you want to grab a treat, you already have them portioned and can grab as many as you want at once. this is also perfect for adding to lunch boxes because they thaw by lunchtime!

Can you use frozen bananas in this recipe?

Yes, frozen bananas can be used in this recipe, but I recommend thawing and discarding the accumulated liquid in the bag before use. This will allow you to use those frozen bananas without throwing off the wet: dry ratio this dessert needs. If you find that the batter needs a little more liquid you can always just add in a tablespoon or two of milk or water.

How can I ripen bananas quickly?

You can make your bananas turn ripe faster by placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 30-40 minutes. Let them cool for 1 hour before use. If you have more time on your hands you can also place the bananas in a brown paper bag with an apple. Just close the bag up to seal the air inside and let it sit like this for about a day.

Here are some more ripe banana recipes to try soon!

• Peanut Butter Banana Bread
• Moist Banana Bread Recipe
• Gingersnap Banana Bread
• Chocolate Chip Banana Cake
• Creamy Banana Pecan Pie
• Banana Cream Fluff Salad
• Apple Banana Bread
• Strawberry Banana Bread with Lemon Glaze
• Banana Cream Pie
• Mango Banana Bread
• Apple Banana Bread
• Glazed Blueberry Banana Bars
• Zucchini Banana Bread
• Chocolate Chip Banana Bars
• Caramel Banana Cream Tiramisu

Banana Orange Bars a tasty sweet and delightful treat. The flavor combinations in this banana bar recipe makes for a wonderfully moist and appetizing snack!