Banana Bars with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1 cup mashed overripe bananas
• 1 recipe Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 3 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add all ingredients except the frosting and pecans to a large mixing bowl, then beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 2 minutes.
2. Transfer the batter to a buttered 13x9 baking dish, smoothing it into an even layer. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the middle comes out clean.
3. Cool the bars all the way, about 1 hour. After 20 minutes of cooling, cover the pan with saran wrap to help hold in moisture.
4. Spread Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting over the cooled bars, then scatter the optional chopped nuts evenly across the top. Slice into bars.