Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread

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Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread — 🍌🍞🎉 This is the BEST homemade banana bread recipe! This cream cheese banana bread tastes like it has cheesecake baked in! Soft, fluffy and tastes ahhhh-mazing and it’ll be your new FAVORITE banana bread recipe! A total winner that will impress your friends and family!

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

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!

Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread — This is the BEST homemade banana bread recipe! This banana bread tastes like it has cheesecake baked in! Soft, fluffy, easy and tastes ahhhh-mazing!!

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.

Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread — This is the BEST homemade banana bread recipe! This banana bread tastes like it has cheesecake baked in! Soft, fluffy, easy and tastes ahhhh-mazing!!

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. 

  1. 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.
  2. 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. 
  3. Make the cream cheese filling: Stir together the ingredients for the filling and carefully pour over the banana bread batter.
  4. Smooth out the top once more before pouring the remaining banana bread batter over the cream cheese layer. 
  5. 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. 

Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread — This is the BEST homemade banana bread recipe! This banana bread tastes like it has cheesecake baked in! Soft, fluffy, easy and tastes ahhhh-mazing!!

Recipe FAQs

What Type of Cream Cheese Is Best for the filling?

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

Can I Use a Coconut Oil Substitute? 

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.

Can I Use an 8×4-inch Pan Instead? 

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. This is the exact pan I use!

Does banana bread with cream cheese filling Need to Be Refrigerated? 

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.

How Ripe Should Bananas Be for Banana Bread? 

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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4.56 from 484 votes

Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread

By Averie Sunshine
🍌🍞🎉 This is the BEST homemade banana bread recipe! This cream cheese banana bread tastes like it has cheesecake baked in! Soft, fluffy and tastes ahhhh-mazing and it'll be your new FAVORITE banana bread recipe! A total winner that will impress your friends and family!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Cooling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 12
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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.

Video

Notes

*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.
Optionally, serve bread with Honey Butter, Cinnamon-Sugar Butter, Blueberry Butter, Strawberry Butter, or Vanilla Browned Butter Glaze.
Storage: Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 261kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 52mg, Sodium: 155mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 22g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.56 from 484 votes (379 ratings without comment)

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

Recipe Rating




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Comments

  1. I made my own variation and it was loved by all! I subbed zucchini for the banana and added a crumb topping.

  2. 5 stars
    Made this X 4 and put into a large rectangular cake pan. It was perfect for treats for my husband’s men’s coffee. They love it. Thank you. I am looking forward to using various fruits.

    1. Thanks for the 5 star review, Donna, and I’m glad this was perfect for the coffee group!

  3. 5 stars
    This recipe is a family favorite, it is fluffy, yummy, and just scrumptious ๐Ÿคค I made it again tonight, always such a wonderful treat!
    Thank you ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿฅฐ๐ŸŒ

    1. Thanks for the 5 star review, Susan, and I am so glad to hear this is a family favorite!

  4. 5 stars
    This was the best banana bread I have ever eaten. My neighbor brought me a slice and I loved it and then I made it and gave a different neighbor and her husband slices and they both told me it was the best banana bread they had ever eaten.

    1. Thanks for the 5 star review and I am grateful to hear this was the best banana bread you have ever eaten (and your neighbors too)! Thank you so much!

  5. 5 stars
    Thus was delicious and easy to make. Followed the recipe, but added walnuts. This uis a keeoer!

    1. Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad to hear this was delish, easy, and glad you could add some walnuts to your liking, too!

    1. Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad it turned out outstanding and that you will make it again with walnuts!