Cream Cheese Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread – Sweet, Creamy & Comforting

This Cream Cheese Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread is a delightful twist on the classic banana bread, combining the sweetness of ripe bananas with a creamy, tangy cream cheese filling and a warm, spiced cinnamon swirl. The cream cheese adds moisture and richness to the bread, while the cinnamon gives it an irresistible flavor boost. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as an afternoon snack, this banana bread is sure to impress. You can customize the recipe by adding nuts or chocolate chips for extra texture, or even substitute plain yogurt for sour cream for a slightly tangier flavor.

Ingredients

• For the Bread:
  
  

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
    
    

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    
    

  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    
    

  • ½ teaspoon salt
    
    

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
    
    

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    
    

  • 2 large eggs
    
    

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    
    

  • 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
    
    

  • ⅓ cup plain yogurt or sour cream
    
    

• For the Cream Cheese Filling:
  
  

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
    
    

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    
    

  • 1 egg
    
    

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    
    

• For the Cinnamon Swirl:
  
  

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    
    

  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
    
    

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper.
   
   

2. Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.
   
   

3. Prepare the Cinnamon Swirl Mixture: In another small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for the swirl. Set aside.
   
   

4. Prepare the Banana Bread Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract. Mix in the mashed bananas and yogurt (or sour cream) until well combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
   
   

5. Assemble the Bread: Pour half of the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the batter. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the cream cheese filling. Top with the remaining banana bread batter, then sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture over the top.
   
   

6. Swirl: Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the cream cheese and cinnamon sugar layers into the banana bread batter.
   
   

7. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
   
   

8. Cool: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
   
   

9. Serve: Slice and serve the Cream Cheese Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread as desired. Enjoy!
   
   

Nutritional Value (per serving, based on 12 servings)

• Calories: 250 kcal
  
  

• Carbohydrates: 35g
  
  

• Protein: 3g
  
  

• Fat: 12g
  
  

• Saturated Fat: 7g
  
  

• Sodium: 180mg
  
  

• Potassium: 180mg
  
  

• Fiber: 2g
  
  

• Sugar: 20g
  
  

• Cholesterol: 35mg