Cream Cheese Banana Bread

By Elizabeth Waterson // Aug 14, 2019 (Updated Jul 19, 2022) // 2 Comments

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Deliciously moist this cream cheese banana bread is full of bananas and a luscious swirl of cream cheese for an extra surprise treat! This easy quick bread recipe will be your new favorite snack!

close up of cream cheese swirl banana bread on a marble plate

If you've visited my site before you most likely know that I love banana bread and happen to have numerous recipes on here. There is something so perfect about this easy quick bread. It's the perfect not too cheeky breakfast, great afternoon snack, and delicious midnight treat. Any type of food that I can enjoy throughout the day is a winner for me.

What makes this banana bread special? Besides the fact that the banana bread is made with sour cream or Greek yogurt to really lock in the moisture, this bread has a cream cheese swirl.

I recently made my cream cheese swirled pumpkin bread because I am so ready for pumpkin season. But I thought to myself why don't I have a banana bread version. So here we are today.

Let's get to the recipe.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Can you make ahead of time
More cream cheese recipes
Recipe Card
Recipe Ratings & Comments

pieces of cream cheese swirl banana bread stacked on top of each other

Ingredients

For the banana bread you only need your usual culprits:

Unsalted Melted Butter
Granulated Sugar
Brown Sugar
Large Eggs, at room temp.
Pure Vanilla Extract
All-Purpose Flour/ Plain Flour
Baking Soda
Salt
Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
Very Ripe Bananas (measured without peel)

For the cream cheese filling, you'll need a few things but not many! 🙂

Cream Cheese- it is imperative that it is softened to room temp.
Granulated Sugar
All-Purpose Flour- this flour helps thicken it up to create that nice thick swirl
Pure Vanilla Extract
Large Egg- room temperature eggs will easily combine with the remaining ingredients

Instructions

First things first, make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature. It is crucial to create a smooth cream cheese filling.

When you're ready, preheat your oven to 350F/180C and grease a 9X5 loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.

dry ingredients in a glass bowl with a whisk on a grey surface with a white and blue linen

In another clean bowl whisk together the melted butter and sugars until fully combined. Next, add the eggs and pure vanilla extract, whisking until the mixture is fully combined.

wet ingredients in a glass bowl for a banana bread

Next comes the mashed bananas and sour cream or Greek yogurt.

greek yogurt and mashed bananas added to wet ingredients in a glass bowl

The last step for the quick bread batter is to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Do not over mix or you will end up with a loaf of tough banana bread.

dry ingredients added to wet ingredients in a large glass bowl

See, just until the flour steaks are gone!

banana bread batter in a large glass bowl

To make the cream cheese filling in a medium bowl whisk together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla extract. Mix until fully combined and totally smooth.

Once fully combined, whisk in the egg until fully combined.

cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and flour in a small glass bowl

egg added to cream cheese mixture in a glass bowl

You want a smooth batter.

cream cheese filling in glass bowl fo ra cream cheese banana bread

banana bread batter in a loaf pan before baking

cream cheese layer on top of banana bread batter

Pour ½ of the banana bread batter into the prepared pan, use an offset spatula to create an even layer, then pour the cream cheese filling into an even layer, then finally the remainder of the banana bread batter. Be careful to fully cover the cream cheese mixture.

Bake for 55-65 minutes or until when you insert a toothpick in the center of the bread it comes out clean with no wet batter.

Let the bread cool for at least 30 minutes in the pan before inverting on to a cooling rack to cool completely.

slices of cream cheese banana bread on a white marble surface

Can you make ahead of time

Yes, you can easily make cream cheese banana bread ahead of time. I like to store mine in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

I hope you love this cream cheese filled banana bread as much as my family and friends do!

More cream cheese recipes

★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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Recipe Card

Cream Cheese Banana Bread

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5 from 1 review

Print Recipe

Deliciously moist this cream cheese banana bread is full of bananas and a luscious swirl of cream cheese for an extra surprise treat! This easy quick bread recipe will be your new favorite snack!

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 8-10 Slices 1x

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F/180C and grease a 9X5 loaf pan.
In a large bowl mix together the butter and sugars. Then add eggs and vanilla extract.
Add bananas and use a potato masher to mash them. Mix in sour cream or Greek yogurt. Gently fold in the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Pour ⅔rds of the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
In a medium bowl whisk together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla extract. Once fully combined, whisk in the egg until fully combined. Pour on top of the banana bread layer, spreading cream cheese into an even layer.
Using a spoon and spatula place the remaining banana bread batter on top trying to cover the cream cheese layer completely and evenly. Bake for approximately 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with no wet batter. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before inverting to cool completely. Store in an air-tight container.