This is a simple and wholesome banana cookie bar, a perfect on the go morning snack (as much as I hate the concept of food on the go). These dairy free banana bars are thin and light, with minimal fat (especially if you avoid the peanut butter icing) and have a texture which is chewy but still fairly light.
A sideline: Bananas were always one of those fruits which were very neutral in my mind; a take them or leave them sort of attitude prevailed. That is, until I visited South East Asia for the first time. I realised how divine a banana could be and I came to understand I’d never again appreciate a banana at home the way I could in a native environment. So I pretty much gave up eating bananas, saving them for cooking and the occasional smoothie.
Vegan Banana Bars Recipe
- Directions/Method
- Preheat your oven to 175° C (350° F). Lightly grease a 10 x 15 inch jelly roll tin.
- Mash the banana in a bowl until only small lumps remain and it’s liquidy. Whisk into the sugar, apple sauce, margarine, yoghurt, and vanilla and mix until smooth-ish (a few lumps are fine).
- Add the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, and salt while slowly mixing until all of the ingredients are combined. Lick fingers multiple times.
- Spread the batter, which will be fairly thick, as well as possible across the entire jelly roll sheet. Use a spatula or your hands to make it as level as possible, but it really doesn’t have to be perfectly even so don’t fuss too much over this detail.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the top is just browned. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to, you guessed it, cool.
- To make the peanut butter icing, simply combine the icing sugar, peanut butter, and non dairy milk. The icing is quite stiff, so if you want a more spreadable consistency you will need to add some more liquid. Pipe the icing in random patterns over the banana bars, cut, and serve.
cyndirk says
23 April, 2010 at 4:51 pmMixed Spice? For the North Americans among us, is this a pre-mix or teaspoonful of spice free-for-all? The recipe looks like a nice sober change from my rum-soaked banana bread. I'll give it a go.
Kip says
24 April, 2010 at 9:21 amMixed spice is a pre-mix here, but it's essentially just a mix of warming spices- cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and pimento… You'd be safe using a combination of these (but don't worry if you're missing a few. Even just cinnamon would be nice I think, and probably a bit bolder).
Rum soaked banana bread sounds awesome!
kathryn says
24 April, 2010 at 9:15 amWhen I saw these on your Flickr page I knew I had to take a look. What a lovely, lovely idea, definitely *with* the peanut butter icing. Yum Kip.
Kip says
24 April, 2010 at 9:23 amThanks, Kathryn Can't ever beat peanut butter, in my opinion 🙂