Cream Cheese Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread Recipe
This Cream Cheese Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread is a moist and flavorful twist on classic banana bread. It features ripe mashed bananas, a rich cream cheese filling, and a warm cinnamon-sugar swirl layered throughout, creating a delicious balance of sweet and tangy flavors. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a comforting snack with coffee or tea.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (about 10-12 slices) 1x
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
For the Banana Bread:
- 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Swirl:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare the Batter: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper. In a bowl, mash the ripe bananas, then whisk in the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Make the Cream Cheese Filling: In a separate bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and creamy. This filling will add a tangy richness to the bread.
- Make the Cinnamon Swirl: In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for the cinnamon swirl topping that will add a warm, sweet spice throughout the bread.
- Layer the Banana Bread: Pour half of the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the batter. Gently spread the cream cheese filling on top of the cinnamon layer. Add the remaining banana bread batter over the cream cheese layer. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture on top, then use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the cinnamon sugar into the batter for a beautiful marbled effect.
- Bake & Cool: Bake the loaf in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few crumbs or a small amount of cream cheese on the toothpick is acceptable). Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes to set, then carefully transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing for best texture.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas for maximum flavor and moisture.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the bread tender.
- You can substitute light brown sugar with dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor.
- Let the bread cool completely before slicing to ensure clean slices.
- Store leftovers wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- This bread also freezes well—wrap tightly and freeze up to 3 months.
Keywords: banana bread, cream cheese swirl, cinnamon swirl, easy banana bread, moist banana bread, breakfast bread, baked banana bread
