Cream Cheese Banana Bread

Yeah, I went to a bad place.

As Hubs so eloquently put it, “You take something that’s not too bad for you, add something, and make it a thousand times worse.”

He’s right, of course.

But it’s worse in the best way ever.

The Recipe:

Cream Cheese Banana Bread, slightly adapted from What Megan’s Making

3/4 c butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 c sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 c mashed bananas (about 4 medium)

1/2 t vanilla extract

3 c all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1 t salt

In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.  Add in the bananas and vanilla, mixing until combined.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating at low-speed just until combined.  Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8×4-inch loafpans.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs and the sides pull away from the pan.  If necessary, cover with aluminum foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent over-browning.  Cool bread in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.  Remove from pans, and cool completely before slicing.

{Printable Recipe}

The Results:

What’s so great about this bread is that the cream cheese is just a subtle note in this fantastically flavored bread.  It’s barely there (and if you didn’t know about it, you’d never guess).  What that cream cheese does, though, is to make this banana bread super, super moist – and brings out the full sweet banana flavor.

I’d have to say, hands-down, this is the best banana bread I’ve ever had.  (And Kristy, if you guys were still doing your best banana bread search, I SO would’ve submitted this one!)

So go out and start your week right (and a little wrong) – and make this scrumptious bread.

Have a fabulous Monday.

(I know I am – the sun is finally out!)