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over head shot of Cream Cheese Banana Bread sliced into pieces on a parchment line sheet

Cream Cheese Banana Bread

Cream cheese banana bread turns classic banana bread into a delightful dessert with a velvety layer of cream cheese packed into the center.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients
  

Bread

  • 2 medium bananas, ¾ cup, mashed
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • ⅓ cup butter, room temperature, softened
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature, softened
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with a cooking spray (choose a cooking spray with the flour in it. I like Baker’s Joy brand) and set aside.
  • Make the cream cheese mixture. In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, egg, flour, and vanilla. Set aside.
  • In another medium-sized bowl, mash the bananas and combine them with the sour cream. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar until it is fluffy, about 1 minute.
  • Add the egg and the vanilla and beat well.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  • Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar mixture, alternating with the mashed banana, blending well after each addition. Set aside.
  • Scoop half of the banana bread batter into the bottom of the prepared loaf pan, use a silicone spatula to spread it out evenly. Pour the filling mixture evenly over the top of the batter. Scoop the remaining batter over the top, using the spatula again to spread it out.
  • Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Allow it to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Using very ripe bananas will give you the best results and the best flavor. It's the perfect way to use up those overripe bananas that may have otherwise gone to waste.
  • It's a good idea to use a lighter-colored loaf pan to prevent over-browning.
  • Always start and end with the flour mixture when mixing with an additional wet ingredient for your batters.
  • Check the loaf at 30 minutes; if browning too quickly, tent with aluminum foil for the remaining 30 to 45 minutes of cooking time. Depending on the moisture content of the bananas you use, baking times will vary slightly.