Description
Delight in this moist and flavorful Cream Cheese Banana Bread, perfect for breakfast or a comforting snack. This recipe combines ripe bananas and tangy cream cheese swirled into a tender, sweet loaf that’s easy to bake and sure to impress your family and friends.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Cream Cheese Layer
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of the banana bread.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the mashed ripe bananas, sour cream, vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until the batter is smooth and thoroughly blended.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and seasoning.
- Mix wet and dry: Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet banana mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.
- Prepare cream cheese layer: Beat the softened cream cheese in a small bowl until smooth and creamy, free of lumps.
- Assemble the bread layers: Pour half of the banana batter into the prepared loaf pan. Dollop the beaten cream cheese evenly over the batter, then pour the remaining banana batter on top. Use a knife or skewer to swirl the cream cheese gently into the batter for a marbled effect.
- Bake: Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
- Cool and serve: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving to preserve the texture and enhance flavor.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas for the best flavor and natural sweetness.
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature to ensure smooth swirling.
- You can add chopped nuts or chocolate chips to the batter for extra texture if desired.
- Store leftover banana bread wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
