Cream Cheese Banana Bread

(makes 12 slices)

You read that right, CREAM CHEESE banana bread, with chocolate chips I might add!

I think nearly everyone has baked a loaf (or two or three) of banana bread during quarantine. There’s just something about staying at home and having super ripe bananas that screams fresh baked banana bread. It’s also a great breakfast or dessert base that you can add whatever fillings you like to it such as nuts, chocolate chips, cream cheese, or in this case all of the above!

I got this idea from a recipe I saw on Facebook a few years I go (I want to say it was a Tasty video) and I’ve been perfecting it ever since!

Most banana breads include a lot of sugar and sour cream. By making the base a little healthier with less sugar and substituting sour cream for apple sauce, you don’t feel as guilty about the cream cheese filling. Plus, adding some nuts to your bread gives you a little extra protein and keeps you fuller for longer! This is one of my favorite things to bake and bring with me when visiting a friend for a long weekend or adding to a gift basket. Plus, fresh baked goods are always better when shared with friends and family!

Ingredients:

Bread

- 3 bananas

- 1 egg

- 1 stick of butter, room temperature

- 1/4 cup of apple sauce

- 1 cup all-purpose flour

- 1/4 cup light brown sugar

- 1/4 cup granulated sugar

- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (or nut of choice)

Cream Cheese Filling

- 6 oz cream cheese, room temperature

- 1 egg

- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions:

Spray a 9" x 5" bread pan with cooking spray and coat with a light dusting of flour. This is an important step to prevent your bread from sticking to the pan.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In your stand mixer (or a large bowl) cream together the butter and sugar. Next, mix in the bananas, egg, apple sauce and vanilla.

Tip: I like to slightly mash my bananas with a fork on a plate before adding to the mixing bowl.

Slowly add in your flour, baking soda and baking powder. If using chocolate chips and/ or nuts, fold in by hand and set aside.

In a smaller bowl, cream the cream cheese and sugar together. Next, add in your egg, flour and baking powder.

Pour half of the bread batter into your floured pan and top with the cream cheese mixture, spreading evenly. Top with the remaining bread batter.

Bake for 1 hour and allow to cool 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

Tip: I like to check on my bread at 45 minutes by inserting a tooth pick and seeing if it comes out cleanly. If the top of your bread starts to get a little too brown for your liking, simply cover the top with a piece of tin foil until the middle is fully cooked.

As always, be sure to use salted butter when baking!