Cream Cheese Banana Bread

I shared this Cream Cheese Banana Bread Recipe originally in 2012. It still gets traction, especially when the weather is perfect for baking or when you are just having a DAY.
Other awesome banana bread recipes include Elvis Banana Bread and Healthy Pumpkin Banana Bread. Cranberry Pecan Banana Bread is also a winner!
Original rambling post text follows --
I am completely technologically challenged. I've always been that way. When I was in school I preferred the library to the computer lab.
I always researched papers using books, spreading allllll of my papers across the reference section of the library, taking tedious notes and drawing swirls and curly-cues in the margins of my lined note paper.
I wrote rough drafts sitting in a greasy spoon called the Knife & Fork with a slice of diner lemon meringue pie and bottomless coffee poured by an infinitely cranky woman named Nan that had roughly 43 pencils sticking out of the tightly coiffed bun atop her head.
We had a typewriter. My mom really liked to type (that is code for, "My mom typed all my final drafts"). There were no laptops in my life.
I actually didn't break down and purchase a laptop until earlier this year, and then only because the fan in my stegasaurus-era desktop sounded like it was going to spin itself into orbit. I refused a cell phone until I was 24 and I had to have it for work.
We had the same home phone number my whole entire life and my theory was that no one needed to talk to me sooooooo badly that it couldn't wait until I got the message.

Imagine that.
I still write most things down. I am a list-maker from the very bottom of my scatter-brained heart. I write lists of things we need on the chalkboard in the kitchen. Events and bills are carefully printed on the wall calendar. I keep a notebook full of recipes, scribbles,
Andrew's math homework, and more lists. It does not ever occur to me to open up the notepad on my computer or use the calculator on my phone. And like that weirdo waitress from my high school days, if my hair is up, there is probably a pen stuck in it.
I tell you all this- the ins and outs of my quirky and sort of retro ways- as a bit of a disclaimer and also a plea...
With all of this shuffling around I'm not quite sure about the fate of my email subscribers. Comments from those of you that have landed here would be sooooooo appreciated. I will reward you with banana bread.
And I'll get this all sorted out eventually.

This Cream Cheese Banana Bread is moist and rich and WONDERFULLLLL. It has more butter and sugar than my usual banana bread recipe and boasts a whole 8 ounce block of cream cheese. It bakes up more like a cake and was pretty hard to resist right out of the oven paired with an afternoon cup of coffee.
I'll tell you, though... If you can muster a bit of self-control, save one loaf. Wrap it up TIGHTLY and hang onto it for another day. Leftover banana bread is amazing in things like Blueberry Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce!
Thanks in advance for commenting, subscribing, and helping me!
Cream Cheese Banana Bread
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter, softened
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups mashed bananas (about 3 bananas mashed)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350. Grease two 8 ½ X 4 ½ loaf pans.
- In a large bowl cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Then add the bananas and vanilla.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually beat the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Stir in the walnuts.
- Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans and bake in the pre-heated oven for 45-50 minutes, tenting with foil halfway through.
- The bread is done when it's golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 245Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 144mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 3g
(slightly adapted from Southern Living magazine)





This is delicious! I made this a few times, each time was so good and moist. Since I love almond flavor, I tried substituting almond extract (1 1/2 tsp) in place of the (1 tsp) vanilla extract.....awesome!! Well worth the try! I omitted the walnuts just due to preference. So yummy!
So glad you've found success with this Deb!
I made this cream cheese banana bread. It was easy and OH SO DELICIOUS! The aroma was so good in my kitchen I couldn’t wait till it was completely cooled. All I can say is it is absolutely amazing and delicious. A must try. Great for Gift giving during the Holidays. Enjoy.
This is delicious! I only had a cup and a half of flour so I used bisquick to get the three cups. Was worried how it would turn out, but it worked! Will use this recipe for now on
Hi, it looks delicious! How do you “tent half way through”? Do you mean you cover them with foil before you put them in the oven and then you remove the foil? Sorry. It might be an obvious step but not for me.
I made this recipe into 24 muffins! So good! I will definitely make this again!
So happy to hear that, Pat!
Are you able to add cinnamon. I made it and it looks great and smells amazing but i feel like its missing something. Maybe just old habits of banana bread with cinnamon for me.
of course!
I have made this recipe several times. The bread is always moist and tasty. My family and friends enjoy the bread too!
So glad to hear it, Becky!
Best tasting ever. , Nice heavy loaf
Thanks, Barbara!
WOW! I love, love, love this banana bread! It is the best recipe I have ever made! It is my go to Christmas gift! I use 6 mini loaf pans and wrap each loaf in a treat sack! I attach the recipe and Merry Christmas! After people eat it they give me their ripe bananas to bake more!
Ahhh thank you so much, Jen! This is for sure a good one to gift! So glad you love it!
Can you freeze this banana recipe? Wondering if the cream cheese will change the taste.
Hi, can I use gram measurements and could you convert it for me please. Thank you
This is, by far, the best banana bread recipe.
Thank you so much, Paige!
I’ll bet your bananas were too small. I used three that were regular size or larger. Didn’t measure the mashed pulp, but just looking at it, I would guess it was more than 1 1/2 cups. I used it all because I didn’t want to waste it.
No...nope..no way! The recipe calls for to much flour. Made it to dry now I have to trash it. Nobody want eat it in my family.
Based on your INCREDIBLE grammar I am going to guess that you didn't follow the directions.
@Keith D.Jones, seems you just don't know how to bake - i made these yesterday and they are devine light and airy. You need to add the flour mixture in slowly and preferably hand whisk as anytime you mix flour into cakes or any baked the electric mixer can take the air out and make it go flat and awful. I did a whisk and a quick electric mix at the end just to smooth it. Added flour in about 5 batches and incorpated well before adding next set. Rude to give a good recipe a bad name when its clearly the Baker.
@Danielle,
People are so freaking rude! I have to agree, he obviously can't read the directions!
Do you have any adjustment suggestions for muffins other than to reduce the baking time?
This looks yummy, I have my bananas and cream cheese ready!
I've not tried this as muffins, Margaret! I definitely need to though!
@Heather Tullos, thanks for the response! 🙂
I made it as loaves and it was a hit.