Description
This Cream Cheese Banana Bread combines the rich, creamy texture of smooth cream cheese with the natural sweetness and moistness of ripe bananas, resulting in a delightfully tender and flavorful loaf perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Banana Bread Batter
- 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
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Cream Cheese Layer
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a loaf pan or line it with parchment paper to ensure the bread doesn’t stick after baking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the mashed ripe bananas, sour cream, vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly until smooth and well incorporated.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to distribute the leavening agent evenly before adding.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet banana mixture, stirring gently until just combined to avoid overmixing which can toughen the bread.
- Beat Cream Cheese: In another bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy, free of lumps. This will serve as a delicious creamy layer.
- Assemble the Bread Layers: Pour half of the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Evenly spread the smooth cream cheese over the batter, then pour the remaining batter on top, smoothing the surface gently.
- Bake: Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 60-70 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean without wet batter.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving to enjoy the full flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas with brown spots for maximum sweetness and moisture.
- Room temperature eggs and cream cheese mix better and help create a smoother texture.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the bread light and tender.
- Check the bread at 60 minutes to avoid overbaking; oven temperatures may vary.
- For added texture, consider adding chopped nuts or chocolate chips to the batter if desired.
