Description
A tender and moist banana bread swirled with cream cheese and cinnamon for a delightful breakfast or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (for filling)
- 1 large egg (for the filling)
- Additional cinnamon-sugar mixture for topping (e.g., 2 tablespoons granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon cinnamon)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a greased and parchment-lined 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth. Stir in the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined. Do not overmix.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet banana mixture until just combined; a few small streaks of flour are okay.
- For the cream cheese filling: beat the softened cream cheese with ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, and ½ teaspoon vanilla (if desired) until smooth.
- Pour half of the banana batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle half of your cinnamon-sugar mixture over this layer.
- Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the first batter layer, leaving a small margin at the edges.
- Dollop and gently spread the remaining banana batter over the cream cheese. Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- With a butter knife, gently swirl the top layer through the batter.
- Bake for 50–60 minutes. A toothpick inserted should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Use very ripe bananas for best flavor and moisture. Cool completely before slicing to preserve structure.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 358
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 170mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 70mg