Banana Cheesecake Brownies (plant-based, gluten-free)

What a decadent treat! I had some ripe bananas and homemade vegan cream cheese, and I was getting requests for chocolate.

So I invented a banana brownie with cream cheese swirls going through it.

It might be a good thing to make on a night when you can’t sleep. I’m awake tonight, so I’ll be there with you.

Here’s a funny little poem to lighten the chocolate and insomnia:

I cannot get to sleep tonight.

I toss and turn and flop.

I try to count some fluffy sheep

while o’er a fence they hop.

I try to think of pleasant dreams

of places really cool.

I don’t know why I cannot sleep –

I slept just fine at school.

― Kathy Kenney-Marshall

Wishing you sweet dreams and smiles today.

Ingredients

Wet ingredients to blend

• 2 bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 Tbsp soy milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup margarine

Dry ingredients to mix

• 1 cup GF flour (oat flour, GF flour blend, or I used 1/2 gram flour, 1/2 buckwheat flour)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup non-dairy chocolate chips

Swirl ingredients

• 1 package vegan cream cheese (or homemade), softened at room temperature

Directions

Blend all the wet ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated. Do not overmix.

Pour 2/3 of the batter into a greased 8×8″ baking pan. Spread the cream cheese gently over the surface. Pour the remaining 1/3 of the brownie batter on top and use a knife to make large swirls through all 3 layers until the top looks lovely and marbled. Do not over-swirl or there won’t be any difference between the brownie bits and the cream cheese bits.

Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes, checking after 30 minutes to see if a knife inserted into the middle of the brownies comes out mostly clean. The longer baking time is needed for a glass or ceramic pan.

Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting into it. This is important for gluten-free bakes. Store in a sealed container in the freezer, or enjoy right away!