Cream Cheese Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread (Print Version)

Moist banana bread with rich cream cheese filling and sweet cinnamon sugar swirl. Perfect for breakfast or dessert.

# What You Need:

→ Banana Bread

01 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
03 - 3/4 cup brown sugar
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Cream Cheese Filling

10 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
11 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
12 - 1 large egg
13 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Cinnamon Sugar Swirl

14 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper, allowing overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, mash bananas until smooth. Stir in melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt.
04 - Gently fold dry ingredients into banana mixture until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Beat softened cream cheese with granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
06 - In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
07 - Pour half the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar mixture.
08 - Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the batter. Add remaining banana bread batter on top and smooth the surface. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar over the top.
09 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs remaining.
10 - Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Lift out using the parchment paper overhang and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cream cheese filling adds a tangy richness that perfectly balances the sweetness of ripe bananas and brown sugar.
  • It looks bakery-beautiful with minimal effort, making it ideal for impressing guests or treating yourself on quiet mornings.
  • Every slice stays moist for days, and it actually tastes better the next day when the flavors have melded together.
  • You can dress it up with walnuts or chocolate chips, or keep it simple and let the cinnamon swirl shine.
02 -
  • Always use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots, underripe bananas lack the sweetness and moisture this recipe depends on.
  • Do not overmix the batter after adding the flour or the bread will turn dense and heavy instead of light and tender.
  • Make sure your cream cheese is fully softened to room temperature, cold cream cheese will not blend smoothly and will leave lumps in the filling.
  • If the top starts browning too quickly, tent the loaf loosely with aluminum foil halfway through baking to prevent burning.
03 -
  • Line your loaf pan with parchment paper that hangs over the edges so you can lift the entire loaf out cleanly without flipping or scraping.
  • Let the loaf cool completely before slicing, it firms up as it cools and the layers stay intact instead of smearing together.
  • If you do not have ripe bananas, place them in a 300°F oven for about 15 minutes until the skins turn black and the insides soften and sweeten.
  • Taste your cream cheese filling before layering it in, if it is too tangy for your liking, add an extra tablespoon of sugar to balance it out.
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