Cream Cheese Banana Bread Moist And Tangy Wellplated Com

While I’ll never get tired of classic banana bread, sometimes when overripe bananas are staring at me from my kitchen counter, I yearn for something with a little more pizzaz. This cream cheese banana bread is the answer. Quick and easy to make, it’s the perfect on-the-fly way to use up browning bananas lingering around in your kitchen. Like these Banana Bread Brownies, this recipe combines the ease of basic banana bread with a little extra decadence and flair. I used my favorite healthy banana bread recipe as the base—the batter needs only one bowl and 10 minutes to prep—then jazzed it up with a Greek yogurt cream cheese layer that adds moisture, tang, and artisan bakery-level beauty.

Healthy Cream Cheese Banana Bread

Every slice of this cream cheese banana bread is guaranteed to be moist and tender. Plus it offers higher nutritional value than most anything you’ll find in a traditional pastry case. The key ingredients to making this cream cheese banana bread more wholesome are:

Greek Yogurt. Instead of making this banana bread with buttermilk and sour cream, I use nonfat plain Greek yogurt. I promise you can’t taste the difference.Maple Syrup. It sweetens the bread more naturally, and the maple flavor is lovely with the banana.Whole Wheat Pastry Flour. You can make this banana bread with either 100% whole wheat or a 50% blend thanks to this light-tasting, ultra-fine flour, no one will suspect!

How to Make Cream Cheese Banana Bread

This banana bread with cream cheese swirl has all the banana flavor you love with the luscious addition of a decadent cream cheese swirl. You deserve it!

The Ingredients

Ripe Bananas. Perfect for those brown bespeckled bananas that are too mushy to eat otherwise. (This Zucchini Banana Bread is another way I love to use up ripe bananas.)Flour. For this recipe, I use a blend of 50/50 all purpose flour and whole wheat pastry flour to inject a little whole grain goodness into this banana loaf.

Greek Yogurt. Used to add moisture, tenderness, and tang instead of buttermilk or sour cream. Plus Greek yogurt adds extra protein!Egg. Contributes richness and softness while also providing structure to the loaf. Maple Syrup. Naturally sweetens—allowing for a reduction of brown sugar—and flavors the banana bread.

Brown Sugar. Sweetens the bread while also adding a touch of robust molasses flavor.Oil. Choose from either canola oil or coconut oil—even avocado oil would work.

Vanilla Extract. Enhances the flavor of the banana bread batter.Spices. This cream cheese banana bread is spiced with a blend of nutmeg (also that warm aroma in Eggnog Bread) and cinnamon.Reduced-Fat Cream Cheese. The base of a lightened-up cream cheese filling that’s still rich, decadent, and satisfying.

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. You may store cream cheese banana bread for several hours, covered, at room temperature. Otherwise, due to the cream cheese, I recommend storing cream cheese banana bread in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To Freeze. Tightly wrap the banana bread in plastic, then store it in a freezer bag for up to three months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.

Recommended Tools

Loaf Pan. Ideal for this recipe (and many other delicious quick bread recipes).Parchment Paper. Prevents your cream cheese banana bread from sticking to the pan.Mixing Bowls. This set of glass nesting bowls is a kitchen essential for bakers of all skill levels.

Most of the time, you can replace half of the all-purpose flour in a recipe (as in this Apple Bread) with either white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour without a soul noticing. Often, as with today’s recipe (or this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread), you can even use all whole wheat flour and no one will ever know! Of course, if you don’t have whole wheat flour on hand, you may also use 100 percent all purpose flour too.

Check the cream cheese banana bread after about 40 minutes. If the bread starts to brown too much at the corners before it’s baked through, tent it with foil. The most foolproof way to know if banana bread is done is to use an instant-read thermometer. When it reaches 200 degrees F at the center, the banana bread is fully cooked.

For Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread: Fold chopped toasted pecans or walnuts into the banana layer prior to baking.To Make Cream Cheese Banana Bread with Sweet Cinnamon Topping: Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to the cream cheese layer.Try as Cream Cheese Banana Muffins: Grease a standard muffin tin. Prepare the batter as directed. Fill the muffin cups three-quarters of the way to the top, then bake at 350 degrees F for 18 to 22 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean (you’ll have 10 to 12 muffins).For Cream Cheese Banana Cake: Try this Banana Bundt Cake recipe!