Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread — This is the BEST homemade banana bread recipe! The banana bread tastes like it has cheesecake baked in thanks to the luscious cream cheese filling! Soft, fluffy, easy and tastes ahhhh-mazing!!
Table of Contents
This cream cheese banana bread is soft and moist, and the cream cheese filling is like having a layer of cheesecake baked into the moist banana bread. No complaints here!
It’s an easy, no mixer recipe that goes from bowl to oven in minutes.
The big river of cream cheese is a thick, bold, unmistakeable layer. It really makes this bread out of this world.
Love Cream Cheese-Filled Desserts?
If you love this cream cheese-filled banana bread, then you’ll definitely love my Cream Cheese-Filled Pumpkin Bread as well!
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.
And 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 quick bread and muffin recipe ensures more tender results.
This banana cream cheese bread 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 over the years, 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!
Ingredients Needed
After taking a bite of this banana bread, you’ll regret to having made a loaf using cream cheese sooner!
For the banana bread:
- Egg
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Coconut oil
- Sour cream
- Vanilla extract
- Ripe bananas
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder and baking soda
- Salt
For the cream cheese filling:
- Egg
- Softened cream cheese
- Granulated sugar
- All-purpose flour
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Cream Cheese Banana Bread
Don’t let the cream cheese filling fool you into thinking this is a tough banana bread recipe to make — it’s not! This is an incredibly easy homemade banana bread recipe.
- Make the batter: Whisk together the egg, sugars, coconut oil, sour cream, and vanilla before stirring in the mashed bananas and the rest of the dry ingredients.
- Turn about two-thirds of the batter into a greased loaf pan and smooth out the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Make the cream cheese filling: Stir together the ingredients for the filling and carefully pour over the banana bread batter.
- Smooth out the top once more before pouring the remaining banana bread batter over the cream cheese layer.
- Bake the cream cheese banana bread until the top is domed, golden, and the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Note that the toothpick test isn’t the most accurate because the cream cheese never gets totally solid.
Baking Tip
Once the bread is out of the oven, let it cool completely before slicing and serving. The cream cheese center needs time to set fully, and if you slice it too soon it’ll just ooze out.
Recipe FAQs
For this recipe, you need to use brick-style cream cheese (not the whipped kind in a plastic tub). I used full-fat cream cheese, but lite cream cheese will also work so long as it’s the type that comes in a brick. Set the cream cheese on your counter to soften (this will take about an hour, maybe more). I don’t recommend softening the cream cheese in the microwave, as that can make it too soft.
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 make this banana bread recipe in a 9×5-inch loaf pan, and this bread is a large loaf. I think an 8×4-inch pan would be too small, and the batter may run over the sides. But you can give it a try if that’s what you have on hand! Just keep in mind that you’ll likely need to bake the bread for longer as well.
No, because the cream cheese filling is baked it’s safe to leave out at room temperature. Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week.
For the best tasting cream cheese banana bread, you’ll want to use really ripe bananas that have plenty of black spots on them.
Tips for Making This Recipe
Measuring the mashed banana: You need to actually measure out the mashed banana to see if it’s 1 cup, because your idea of two “large bananas” may be different than mine, and you want to add the exact right amount of banana to this bread.
Mixing the batter: Once you add the flour to the banana bread batter you should continue mixing the batter until everything is just combined. You do NOT want to over mix the batter, otherwise your homemade banana bread will be a little tough.
Baking times: Tent the pan with a sheet of foil draped over it at the 30 minute-mark if you feel the tops and sides of the cream cheese-filled banana bread will become too browned before the center cooks through.
Baking times will vary based on moisture content of bananas, cream cheese, climate, and oven variances. You need to bake this moist banana bread until done — watch your bread, not the clock.
Storage Instructions
Room temp: Store the banana cream cheese bread in an airtight container for up to 1 week on your counter.
Freezer: Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge.
Video Tutorial
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Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread
Ingredients
Bread
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup liquid-state coconut oil, (canola or vegetable may be substituted)
- ¼ cup cup sour cream, lite is okay (Greek yogurt may be substituted)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas, (about 2 large bananas)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt, (optional)
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 large egg
- 4 ounces brick-style cream cheese, softened (lite is okay)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray one 9×5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
- Make the Banana Bread
- In a large bowl, add the egg, sugars, coconut oil, sour cream, vanilla, and whisk to combine.
- Add the bananas and stir to incorporate.
- 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.
- 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.
- Make the Cream Cheese Filling
- In a large bowl, add all ingredients and whisk to combine. Alternatively, mix with a hand mixer.
- Evenly pour filling mixture over the bread, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary.
- 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.
- 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.*
- Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Easy Banana Bread Recipes:
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Brown Sugar Blueberry Banana Bread – Blueberry coffee cake meets super soft banana bread.
Six-Banana Banana Bread – Six bananas in one loaf of bread means an extremely soft, moist, and richly flavored bread.
Zucchini Banana Bread — This Zucchini Banana Bread is so soft, tender, uber-moist, dense enough to be satisfying, but still light!
The BEST Strawberry Banana Bread — This strawberry bread is packed with fresh, juicy strawberries in every bite! This is an easy, no-mixer quick bread recipe you’re going to love!
Carrot Banana Bread — EASY, no-mixer, super soft banana carrot bread that reminds me of carrot cake but healthier!! Great Easter brunch idea or spring baked good!
I have made this twice. It is awesome. My family loves it
I absolutely love this recipe, it’s so moist and delicious! Definitely the best banana bread I’ve ever had. I’ve made it countless times, my husband can’t get enough! I add semisweet chocolate chips, and sometimes skip the cream cheese if I’m out, with or without its amazing! I have one question- has anyone made a bigger version of this? Maybe like cake size? If so, how do you adjust the ingredients? Like I said, my husband can’t get enough of this and it goes so fast!
Thank you!
– Maddy
You could probably make it as a 12-cup bundt (biggest bundt pan you can find). I would double everything. Fill up half the pan with batter, add the cream cheese, and top off with the rest of the batter and if you have a bit too much batter left you can always just make a mini loaf of a small loaf. So glad you’re a big fan of this recipe and it’s the best you’ve ever had!
I saw your recipe and desperately wanted it, but sadly I’m on a strict no sugar, no gluten, no dairy diet so….I modified it to great success!! My changes are below (I also added 3/4 cup of walnuts – delicious):
Bread
1 large egg (I used a duck egg – worked great)
1/2 cup lakanto or xylitol (sugar alcohol/substitute)
1/4 cup liquid-state coconut oil
1/4 cup cup vegan sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large bananas)
1 cup almond flour
1/ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
Cream Cheese Filling
1 large egg (duck egg again)
4 ounces softened vegan cream cheese
1/4 cup lakanto or xylitol
3 tablespoons almond flour
If you are on any of these diets and want a sweet treat that will still make your doctor happy, I highly recommend this. Great recipe, Averie, and I can’t wait to try your pumpkin version!
I just made this for breakfast and was really disappointed. I was so looking forward to it, but I must have done something wrong, because the bread mix was SO dry that I ended up adding a bit more sour cream. That didn’t help. The overall result was a crumbly bread with a cream cheese filling. Any ideas as to what could have potentially caused mine to turn out dry? I want to try making it again, because I know this got to be an awesome bread!
If your batter was dry before your baked it, you should have taken steps to make it less dry and moisten it up. So if you’re ever in this situation again, toss in another half of banana or whole one, add a bit more sour cream, add a splash of milk or buttermilk. As long as the batter is normal banana bread batter going in, you’ll get a great loaf coming out. Sounds like your bananas were just smaller and/or not ‘juicy’. Some bananas are just drier than others. You’re close to a great loaf!
Just doubled this recipe and made it in 2 8×4 pans! Baked it for 40 minutes and it came out delicious. 1 loaf is almost already gone :P Thanks for another great recipe!
Glad to hear it came out great and good thing you doubled the recipe since a single batch would have been gone :)
Hi! Love the recipe. I’m wondering if this will work with almond flour or coconut flour – what do you think?
Mines in the oven right now!! Can’t wait to taste it :) Although, I’m worried there wasn’t enough dough to cover the top. I used a 9×5 bread pan too. Would doubling the recipe work better?
You probably just added a bit too much batter to the bottom without reserving back quite enough for the top. Not a big deal, really. Next time you’ll know. Doubling, and getting it to cook through, before burning – I personally wouldn’t. It would be very tricky if not impossible because there would be SO MUCH in that one pan.
My family loves banana bread, I am going to try this. I am going to try this with a pumpkin bread recipe too. I made the cheese cake pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving a couple years ago and thinking this will be just as delish.
Thanks Renee for wanting to try a couple recipes! LMK how they turn out for you!
Love your recipes but can’t figure out how to copy just the recipes without all of the pictures. Please tell me how.
There is a print button icon in the recipe section/recipe card. Two little buttons in the R-hand corner. One is ‘Save’ (saves to your Ziplist acct if you have one) & the other prints.
I have had a REAL problem with this recipe…..I have made it twice now, thinking I did something wrong, double-checked the recipe…..and the darn thing doesn’t rise!! It is not at all what I expected….or what I wanted to taste!!!! HELP!
Sorry that you have had issues. When something doesn’t rise that generally means the baking powder/soda is expired. And/or your oven could be running on the cool side? I would check those things out, start with fresh ingredients that are brand new (and change brands while you’re at it just to be extra safe) get an oven thermometer (about 5 bucks at the hardware store to make sure that checks out) and then try again. I have a feeling you’ll be totally fine!
Just pulled mine out of the oven a little bit ago! I hope it turns out right!
Enjoy!!
Can you make this is a Bread Machine?
I don’t think that would be a good idea. Just bake it in the oven as the recipe indicates.
Loved this! Although, it seems I have a compulsion when it comes to baking, lol! I NEVER follow the recipe! So for this Awesome cheesecakey banana bread, I didn’t have enough sour cream, (I doubled the recipe) so I used 1/4 cup sour cream, and 1/4 cup softened sweet cream butter. 5 frozen/thawed bananas. And while digging through my pantry I fell into “kitchen sink” mode and added 1cup of shredded coconut and about 1+cup of slivered almonds (I was out of walnuts, and kinda glad I was!) Oh and since I didn’t have coconut oil, so I used canola oil without any problems :) a great basic recipe to play with and add different ingredients! Have some fun experiment!!!
I love that you fell into kitchen sink mode! From the coconut flakes, almonds, swapping with canola, making due with the sour cream/butter/thawed bananas you had – wow, I wish most people were like 1/1000th as creative as you are! So glad the bread came out great for you!
In case you haven’t seen it, there’s a new pumpkin version of this bread!
https://www.averiecooks.com/cream-cheese-filled-pumpkin-bread/
This looks so delicious and I want to try it, but, just to make sure you’re talking about what I think you’re talking about, a question. What exactly is “cream cheese” in the US? We’re talking about, like, Kraft’s Philadelphia and the likes, right?
Kraft’s Philadelphia Cream Cheese, yes.
I usually add 1 tsp. of lemon peel or orange peel to my banana bread to add a little
extra flavor. It’s simple and adds a lot.
I dislike when they do that, because it’s NOT cream cheese. it’s cheese cake. Big difference. Cream cheese doesn’t bake well, and I almost made that mistake in making cheesecake pancakes one time thinking it was just cream cheese. Should be Cheese cake filled banana bread, and not as confusing.
I love the description. “It’s like having cheesecake baked inside!” It’s not like it is. IT IS cheesecake baked inside. duh! LOL