Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread

Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread – Banana bread that’s like having cheesecake baked in! Soft, fluffy, easy and tastes ahhhh-mazing!!

With over 40+ banana Bread and banana recipes I don’t know why I’ve never incorporated cream cheese.

I don’t know what I was thinking because I was really missing out.

How Does The Best Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread Taste

The bread is soft, moist and the cream cheese layer is like having a layer of cheesecake baked into banana bread. No complaints here.

I had ripe bananas and cream cheese getting ready to expire and knew I needed to do something with both. And voila, this bread was born.

I essentially halved this Peach Mango Coconut Oil Banana Bread. I love everything about that recipe except it makes two loaves and I knew one loaf of cream cheese-filled banana bread would be plenty. It’s almost swimsuit season.

The big river of cream cheese reminds me of the cream cheese in Blueberry and Cream Cheese Muffin Top Bread but this is a thick, bold, unmistakeable layer. It really makes this bread out of this world.

Easy, No Mixer Banana Bread Recipe

It’s an easy, no mixer recipe that goes from bowl to oven in minutes.

Coconut Oil Is A Great Choice

I use melted coconut oil so there’s no butter to cream and no mixer to dirty. Oil keeps bread softer and springier than butter, and I prefer the taste.

Coconut oil adds a nearly imperceptible undertone that’s sweeter and more fragrant than canola or vegetable oil, but substitute with them if you’d like or if you’re very sensitive to coconut flavors.

I love baking with coconut oil for muffins, cakes, bread, cookies and more. 

Why Use Sour Cream (or Greek Yogurt)

A little sour cream (or Greek yogurt) is extra insurance for a soft, springy, bouncy, fluffy loaf.

Using sour cream, Greek yogurt, or buttermilk in quickbread and muffin recipes ensures more tender results.

I had intentions of making French toast with extra slices from the loaf, but we loved this bread a little too much and it disappeared in a day.

It has been a reader favorite that went viral in 2014 when I first posted this recipe. The recipe and photos have been stolen and copied, but that goes with the territory with viral recipes. Most importantly, it’s been adored by thousands of people and those are the comments and feedback I love reading.

Here’s a video demonstrating how I make the Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread.

• Pineapple Coconut Oil Banana Bread – Buttermilk, bananas and coconut oil keep this bread super moist, tender and it tastes like a tropical vacation!
• Six-Banana Banana Bread – Six bananas in one loaf of bread means an extremely soft, moist, and richly flavored bread!
• Banana Bread with Vanilla Browned Butter Glaze – Classic  banana bread when you have 2-3 bananas. Vanilla is used four times in this easy recipe that turns out moist and perfect every time!
• Browned Butter Buttermilk Banana Bread with Strawberry Butter – The browned butter and buttermilk add richness, softness, and moisture, and the strawberry butter makes it that much better!

Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread

Yield: one 9x5-inch loaf, about 10 slices

Total Time:about 90 minutes, for cooling

Prep Time:10 minutes

Cook Time:about 48 to 50 minutes

The bread is soft, moist and the cream cheese layer is like having a layer of cheesecake baked into banana bread. It’s an easy, no mixer recipe that goes from bowl to oven in minutes. I use melted coconut oil so there’s no mixer to dirty and oil keeps bread softer and springier than butter. Coconut oil adds a nearly imperceptible undertone that’s sweeter and more fragrant than canola or vegetable oil, but substitute if desired. Sour cream (or Greek yogurt) is extra insurance for a soft, springy, bouncy, fluffy loaf. The big river of cream cheese is thick, bold, unmistakeable, and really makes this bread out of this world.

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Ingredients:

Bread

• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup liquid-state coconut oil (canola or vegetable may be substituted)
• 1/4 cup cup sour cream (lite is okay; or Greek yogurt may be substituted)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large bananas)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2  teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon baking soda
• pinch salt, optional and to taste

Cream Cheese Filling

• 1 large egg
• 4 ounces softened brick-style cream cheese (lite is okay)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray one 9×5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
2. Bread – In a large bowl, add the egg, sugars, coconut oil, sour cream, vanilla, and whisk to combine.
3. Add the bananas and stir to incorporate.
4. Add 1 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, optional salt, and fold with spatula or stir gently with a spoon until just combined; don’t overmix; set aside.
5. Turn about two-thirds of the batter out into the prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary; set aside.
6. Cream Cheese Filling – In a large bowl, add all ingredients and whisk to combine. Alternatively, mix with a hand mixer.
7. Evenly pour filling mixture over the bread, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary.
8. Top with remaining batter, smoothing the top very lightly with a spatula as to not disturb cream cheese layer and pushing batter into corners and sides as necessary.
9. Bake for about 48 to 50 minutes or until the top is domed, golden, and the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Note this is tricky because the cream cheese never gets totally solid so the toothpick test isn’t the most accurate. Tip – Tent the pan with a sheet of foil draped over it at the 30 minute-mark if you feel the tops and sides will become too browned before center cooks through. Baking times will vary based on moisture content of bananas, cream cheese, climate, and oven variances. Bake until done; watch your bread, not the clock.
10. Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. Optionally, serve bread with Honey Butter, Cinnamon-Sugar Butter, Blueberry Butter, Strawberry Butter, or Vanilla Browned Butter Glaze. Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

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Recipe from Averie Cooks. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.

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