Cream Cheese Banana Bread with Walnut Topping

Cream Cheese Banana Bread

Thick slices of this walnut-topped banana bread reveal a broad cream cheese center, not a swirl. Very ripe bananas give the surrounding bread its moist, flecked crumb. Layer the filling between two portions of batter, then let the baked loaf cool completely before slicing. That cooling time helps the filling hold its shape and keeps the bread from crumbling.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Banana Bread

Banana batter

• 1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas, about 3 medium bananas (340g)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (115g)
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (150g)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (210g)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Cream cheese filling

• 8 ounces full-fat block cream cheese, softened (225g)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (55g)

Use bananas with plenty of brown spots. Let the block cream cheese soften before mixing so the filling is smooth rather than lumpy.

How to Bake Cream Cheese Banana Bread

Yield: 1 loaf, about 10 thick slices. Prep: 20 minutes. Bake: about 55–70 minutes. Cooling: about 90 minutes.

1. Prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack near the center. Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment overhang on two sides. Lightly grease any exposed pan surfaces.
2. Mix the filling: Beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the filling egg, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; mix just until combined.
3. Make the banana batter: In a separate bowl, whisk the mashed bananas, melted butter, brown sugar, batter egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add the 1 3/4 cups flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold just until no dry flour remains; the batter will be thick.
4. Layer the loaf: Spread about half the banana batter evenly in the pan. Spoon the cream cheese filling over it, leaving a narrow border near the pan sides. Gently cover with the remaining banana batter without swirling, then scatter the walnuts over the top.
5. Bake: Bake uncovered and begin checking at 55 minutes. Allow approximately 55–70 minutes, or longer if needed. The top should be browned, and a tester inserted into banana crumb near the middle, slightly beside the cream cheese, should come out without wet batter. If the top darkens before the bread is done, loosely tent it with foil and continue baking.
6. Cool and slice: Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Lift the loaf out by the parchment and cool completely on a wire rack, about 75 minutes more, before cutting into thick slices.

How to Keep the Cream Cheese Center Defined

Keeping the filling just inside the edges lets the banana batter enclose it. Spread the top layer gently rather than dragging it through the cream cheese; swirling would break up the broad center band.

How to Tell When the Loaf Is Done

A tester pushed through the cream cheese can pick up creamy residue even when the bread is baked. Test the banana crumb beside the filling instead, looking for no wet banana batter. The filled center may need longer than the browned top suggests. A smaller or differently shaped pan changes the loaf’s depth, so do not assume it will follow the same bake time.

Cooling, Storage, and Freezing

Let the loaf cool completely before wrapping or slicing; cutting it warm can smear the filling. Wrap or seal the cooled loaf and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Serve slices cool or let them lose their chill briefly before eating.

To freeze, tightly wrap the cooled loaf or individual slices for up to 2 months. Thaw wrapped slices in the refrigerator and keep leftovers refrigerated.

For a different banana loaf, try this chocolate chip banana bread.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per thick slice, based on 10 slices: 400 calories, 6g protein, 22g fat, and 46g carbohydrates. Per 100g of baked loaf: approximately 350 calories, 5g protein, 19g fat, and 40g carbohydrates. Values vary with slice size, ingredient brands, and moisture lost during baking.