Description
This Cream Cheese Banana Bread is a moist, flavorful quick bread that combines ripe bananas with creamy cream cheese for a rich texture and delicious taste. Perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert, it features a subtle hint of cinnamon and optional crunchy nuts for added delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ripe bananas (mashed)
Optional Ingredients
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan to ensure the bread doesn’t stick during baking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
- Cream butter and cream cheese: In a large bowl, beat together the softened unsalted butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy, creating a light base for the batter.
- Add sugar and eggs: Add the granulated sugar to the butter and cream cheese mixture and beat until light and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring they are fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Flavor the batter: Mix in the vanilla extract, followed by stirring in the mashed ripe bananas until completely combined for that signature banana bread flavor.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture, stirring just until incorporated to avoid overmixing and keep the bread tender.
- Add nuts (optional): Fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans if using, distributing them evenly throughout the batter for extra texture.
- Pour and smooth batter: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula to ensure even baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the bread is fully cooked.
- Cool: Allow the banana bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For extra banana flavor, use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots.
- You can add chocolate chips for a sweeter variation.
- Try a cinnamon sugar topping before baking for added texture and flavor.
