Cream Cheese Banana Bread takes classic banana bread to the next level—a swirl of creamy, tangy cream cheese running through ultra-moist, perfectly sweet banana bread. It’s a great way to use up overripe bananas and makes for a delicious breakfast, snack, or dessert.
Instructions
Preheat and Prepare
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
Make the Banana Bread Batter
In a bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Stir in mashed bananas and sour cream. Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Make the Cream Cheese Swirl
In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
Assemble the Bread
Pour half the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the batter. Top with remaining banana bread batter. Use a knife to swirl gently.
Bake
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (a few moist crumbs are fine). If the top is browning too quickly, tent with foil.
Cool and Serve
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.
Pro-Tips for Picture-Perfect Cream Cheese Banana Bread
- Use Overripe Bananas: The darker the peel, the sweeter and more flavorful the bread.
- Don’t Overmix: Overmixing can make the bread tough.
- Swirl Gently: Don’t over-swirl or the cream cheese will blend into the batter.
- Let Cool Completely: Makes slicing easier.
- Store in Refrigerator: Because of the cream cheese, store leftovers in the fridge.
This Cream Cheese Banana Bread is ultra-moist, perfectly sweet, and swirled with tangy cream cheese—a delicious twist on a classic.
