Showcase Minnesota

Today I appeared on Showcase Minnesota on KARE. Here is the link.
http://www.showcaseminnesota.com/show/client_article.aspx?storyid=827115

I was interviewed by Rob Hudson who makes it easy for me. In addition to Cranberry Walnut Tarts and Chocolate Zucchini Bread, I also baked Banana Walnut Bars. As soon as the show is finished everyone heads to the studio to try the foods. In December I'll be preparing Foods to Take to Friends.

Here's the Banana Bar recipe. The frosting tastes like Brown Sugar Fudge.


Banana Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting

My husband eats a banana every day, but sometimes we have too many ripe ones. Needless to say, I bake a lot of banana bars and banana bread! When the bananas are very ripe, I don’t bother to mash them but simply cut them into chunks, add them to the batter, and let the mixer do its job.

Makes 36 bars

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)
1 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup whipping cream or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350°F with oven rack in middle. Grease and flour a 15 x 10 x 1-inch jellyroll pan.
Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Beat butter and sugar in bowl of a heavy-duty mixer on Medium speed until creamy, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice. Add sour cream, vanilla, and eggs and mix well. Add bananas and beat until mashed. Add flour mixture, and beat on Low just until flour disappears. Stir in walnuts.
Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake 22 to 26 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. The cake should spring back when touched lightly with a finger. Cool completely on wire cooling rack before frosting.

Frosting
Heat brown sugar, butter, and cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil. Continue stirring and boil 30 seconds. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Spread frosting on bars immediately as frosting sets up quickly. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Cut into bars.