Description
Creamy cream cheese banana bread emerges as a delightful twist on classic banana bread. Rich flavors and moist texture combine to create a memorable homemade treat you’ll savor with each delectable slice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 to 3 ripe bananas (about 1 cup mashed / 240 ml)
- 1.75 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 0.5 cup (115 g / 115 ml) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 0.5 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 0.25 cup (55 g) brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- 0.25 cup (50 g) granulated sugar (for cream cheese layer)
- 0.5 tsp vanilla extract (for cream cheese layer)
- 1 large egg (for cream cheese layer)
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Ignite the oven to 350F (175C) and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or butter for effortless release.
- Banana Base Creation: Pulverize ripe bananas into a creamy pulp. Merge melted butter, white and brown sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract, whisking until the mixture transforms into a homogeneous liquid with silky consistency.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Delicately incorporate these powdery elements into the banana mixture, stirring minimally to preserve a tender, delicate texture.
- Cream Cheese Infusion: Whisk cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla until achieving a luxuriously smooth, lump-free mixture.
- Layering Technique: Pour half the banana batter into the prepared pan. Strategically spread the cream cheese mixture across this initial layer, ensuring uniform distribution.
- Final Assembly: Elegantly cloak the cream cheese layer with remaining banana batter, creating a harmonious flavor landscape.
- Baking Ritual: Position the pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes, tenting with aluminum foil if the surface browns too aggressively.
- Cooling Sequence: Allow the bread to rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Let the bread settle completely before slicing to maintain its structural integrity.
Notes
- Select Perfectly Ripe Bananas: Use overripe bananas with dark brown or black spots for maximum sweetness and intense banana flavor, ensuring a moist and rich bread texture.
- Minimize Mixing Technique: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture to prevent gluten development, which keeps the bread tender and prevents a tough, dense result.
- Control Cream Cheese Distribution: Spread cream cheese mixture carefully to create beautiful marbled layers, avoiding complete mixing to maintain distinct flavor pockets.
- Watch Baking Time Carefully: Check bread around 50-minute mark with a toothpick test, as oven temperatures vary; cover with foil if top browns too quickly to prevent burning while ensuring even internal cooking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg