Cream Cheese Stuffed Banana Bread

Ingredients

For the Banana Bread:

• 2–3 ripe bananas (mashed)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the Cream Cheese Filling:

• 8 oz (225g) cream cheese (softened)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix mashed bananas, melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
3. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture until just combined.
4. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla until creamy and smooth.
5. Pour half of the banana bread batter into the loaf pan. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the top. Then pour the remaining banana bread batter over it.
6. Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (avoid the cream cheese layer when testing).
7. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Would you like me to make this more bakery-style (with a streusel topping) or keep it classic like above?