Banana Split Pudding Brownies...

A few days ago I finally got the chance to try out a recipe I've had my eye on for quite a while now - the banana split pudding brownies in Vegan with a Vengeance. I'm a huge fan of any baking which includes banana - I love the texture it gives all things cake-y - and I'm also a huge chocoholic. In fact it's the only thing I've worried about missing since I became vegan, and as a result many of the first vegan recipes I tried were chocolate-based in some way.


Anyway, these brownies turned out really well, especially as I've had disasters with brownies before... Not necessarily the prettiest of desserts (in the photos I've layered one on top of another, not just because I'm greedy when it comes to chocolate, but because I think it looks better if you are serving to guests), but they definitely soothed my chocolate cravings, and the hint of banana is strong enough without ever being overpowering. I didn't have any arrowroot powder so I substituted the 1 tablespoon called for in the recipe with 1 and a half tablespoons of cornflower. I also always use vanilla paste instead of extract as I find the flavour a bit more complex and at the same time softer. Having said that, I've never used very good quality vanilla extract so that may account for the difference.



And so to the recipe...

For the brownies:
4oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the topping layer:
1 cup mashed very ripe banana
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup soy milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder.

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with nonstick coocking spray or lightly grease with oil.

To make the brownie batter:
Melt the chocolate and set aside to cool. Combine the banana, oil and sugar, beating together until the mixture is smooth. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix into the banana/chocolate mixture in batches until it is all smooth.

Prepare the banana topping:
Combine all the topping ingredients and mix thoroughly until smooth (a hand-mixer is really handy for all the mixing in this recipe!)

To assemble and bake the brownies:
Spread the brownie batter evenly into the baking pan. Pour the banana topping over it and spread evenly. Bake for 30 mins. Remove and let cool for 15 mins before transferring it to the fridge until it has fully cooled. Cut into slices (should make about 12) and serve.

Incidentally, I skipped the cooling part and served it hot with vegan icecream made by Booja Booja. It was loved by all the family alike, even though they are all carnivores.

Even my dog joined us at the table and put on his best "I'm so underfed and neglected" face in a bid to get a slice...