Cream Cheese Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread (Printable)

Moist banana bread with creamy cheese filling and sweet cinnamon swirl layers

# What You'll Need:

→ Banana Bread

01 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
03 - 3/4 cup brown sugar
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Cream Cheese Filling

10 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
11 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
12 - 1 large egg
13 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Cinnamon Sugar Swirl

14 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - Mash bananas until smooth in a large bowl. Stir in melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt.
04 - Gently fold dry ingredients into banana mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Beat softened cream cheese with granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
06 - Combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl.
07 - Pour half of banana bread batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar.
08 - Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over batter. Top with remaining banana bread batter, smooth surface, and sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar.
09 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs acceptable.
10 - Let loaf cool in pan for 10 minutes. Lift out using parchment overhang and transfer to wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cream cheese layer adds a tangy richness that balances the sweetness of the bananas without feeling heavy.
  • Each slice has a beautiful marbled swirl that looks bakery-quality but comes together with minimal effort.
  • It stays incredibly moist for days, which means you can bake it ahead and still enjoy soft, flavorful slices midweek.
02 -
  • If your cream cheese isn't soft enough, the filling will be lumpy and won't spread evenly—I learned this the hard way when I tried to rush it in the microwave and ended up with melted spots.
  • Don't overbake or the edges will dry out, even though the center stays moist—start checking at 50 minutes and trust the toothpick test.
03 -
  • Use a light hand when folding the dry ingredients into the wet—the batter should look a little lumpy, and that's exactly what keeps the texture tender.
  • Let the loaf cool completely before slicing, even though it's tempting to cut in early—the cream cheese layer needs time to set or it will smear and lose its distinct swirl.
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