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No yeast is involved in this yummy Cream Cheese Banana Bread! It’s delicious, simple, and topped with cinnamon and sugar.

That yummy swirl in the center makes Cream Cheese Banana Bread next-level delicious! For more heavenly sweet bread, try Glazed Lemon Zucchini Bread, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, and Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread.

Cream cheese banana bread sliced and served on a towel.


Next Level Banana Bread

I’ve talked about my love for non-yeast bread recipes before. They’re usually super easy, and we are always on the hunt for the yummiest recipes.

My mom was able to find one – yet again! It’s similar to our favorite Banana Bread Recipe, only with a few modifications (or upgrades, if you will).

Cream cheese banana bread is darn right delicious, as you could only expect with sour cream, cream cheese, and cinnamon/sugar on top. It’s definitely a new favorite, and we can’t wait to make it again.

If you love banana bread, you’ll definitely want to try this cream cheese stuffed version. It’s full of banana flavor!

Making Banana Bread with Cream Cheese

This Cream Cheese Banana Bread Recipe is a delicious twist on classic Banana Bread, and is so simple to make!

PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9”x5” bread pans with cooking spray.

WET INGREDIENTS. In a large bowl, mix sugar, butter & eggs. In a separate bowl, dissolve baking soda in sour cream and add it to the sugar mixture. Add bananas.

DRY INGREDIENTS. Mix in salt, and 2 cups flour. Stir to combine.

Divide the batter into 2 bowls. Now take the batter from the first bowl and pour it evenly into TWO 9”x5” loaf pans.

CREAM CHEESE FILLING. Mix cream cheese, sugar, egg, and flour in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Layer evenly over the mixture in both bread pans.

Divide the batter from the second bowl evenly in both pans, covering the layer of cream cheese.

BAKE. Sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon of sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon of cinnamon before baking. Bake for 50 min. Cool for a few minutes in the pan, then place on a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Layering the batter for cream cheese banana bread in a pan.

Different bread pans

This recipe yields two standard-sized bread loaves, but can easily be made in other types of pans. 

4 or 5 mini loaves: Separate the batter into two bowls. Divide the batter from one bowl into the mini pans. Then, evenly divide the cream cheese mixture and then divide the remaining banana bread batter between the pans.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes.

Muffins: Separate the batter into two bowls. Divide the batter from one bowl into the cupcake tins filling each tin about ¼ of the way.

Next, put the cream cheese mixture into a piping bag to make it easier to add to each muffin. Add an even amount of the cream cheese mixture into the tins and then top that with the remaining batter. Bake for about 25 minutes. 

Bundt pan: Pour half the batter into a well-greased bundt pan. Spread on the cream cheese layer and top off with the remaining batter. Bake for closer to 1 hour. 

In all cases use a wooden skewer or toothpick to check for doneness. 

Cream cheese  banana bread batter topped with cinnamon sugar.

Ripening bananas

Quickly ripen bananas. This recipe calls for 3 RIPE bananas. Generally, bananas on the counter take 4+ days to ripen to the point they’re good for bread making.

I have some tricks to speed up the process. These times are based off of using bananas that are just a little green.

  • Brown paper bag: Place the fruit in a brown bag and loosely close the top. They should ripen in only about 24 hours
  • Oven: Put the UNpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F until the peels become shiny and black. (They may also leak a bit of juice). Allow them to cool before removing the peel.
  • Microwave: Use a fork to poke several holes in the banana. Microwave in 30-second increments until the banana is soft. This may take up to 2 minutes.

Bananas can get too ripe to eat, but rarely too ripe to be used in bread.

Freeze. Whenever I have bananas that become too ripe to eat I throw them in the freezer. This way I always have some on hand when I want to make bread.

Allow them to thaw, trim the end of the peel, and squeeze the top. The banana will slide right out. 

Recipe Tips + Variations

Do not overmix. Use an electric mixer, but be sure to not over-mix the batter. Doing so causes the gluten to overdevelop and can result in a tougher texture.

Flour. Scooping flour so that it is packed can result in a dry muffin. Instead, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and use a knife to level off the top.

Banana. Using too much banana can cause the muffin to be too wet.

Cool. Allow the bread to cool in the pans for a minute or two and then remove them from the pans to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled they can be stored for later.

Room-temperature ingredients (butter, eggs, cream cheese, and sour cream) will mix better with the other ingredients.

Variations.

  • This bread would make delicious French Toast or even French Toast Casserole.
  • Greek Yogurt can be used in place of sour cream.
  • Nuts. Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts on top of the batter before baking.

Storing Info

STORE. Due to the cream cheese, it will only last for a couple of days when wrapped in plastic and stored on the counter.

For longer storage, keep Cream Cheese filled Banana Bread in an airtight container/bag in the fridge for up to a week.

FREEZE. Wrap the cool bread whole, or as individual slices, with plastic wrap. Wrap it again with aluminum foil or place them in an airtight freezer-safe container. Label and freeze for up to 3 months. 

Cream cheese banana bread sliced and served on a towel.

Recipe FAQ

How do I prevent sunken bread?

Only use the recommended amount of banana, too much banana can cause for a super wet batter that can sink in after baking. Make sure your baking soda is not expired and lastly, don’t underbake your bread!

How do you ripen bananas quickly?

One way would be to place the fruit in a brown bag and loosely close the top. They should ripen in only about 24 hours. You can learn about two other methods in this post under “Ripening Bananas”.

for more banana recipes:

4.96 from 50 votes

Cream Cheese Banana Bread Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
No yeast is involved in this yummy Cream Cheese Banana Bread! It's delicious, simple, and topped with cinnamon and sugar.
Servings: 2 loaves
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 1 hour

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 ripe bananas mashed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 4 tablespoons sour cream
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Cream Cheese Mixture

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9”x5” bread pans with cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, mix sugar, butter & eggs. In a separate bowl, dissolve baking soda in sour cream and add it to the sugar mixture. Add bananas, salt, and 2 cups flour. Stir until combined.
  • Divide the batter into 2 bowls. Now take the batter from the first bowl and pour it evenly into TWO 9”x5” bread pans.
  • Mix cream cheese, sugar, egg, and flour in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Layer evenly over the mixture in both bread pans.
  • Divide the batter from the second bowl evenly in both pans, covering the layer of cream cheese.
  • Sprinkle top with 1 tablespoon of sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon cinnamon before baking.
  • Bake for 50 min. Cool and serve.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 2102kcal, Carbohydrates: 284g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 97g, Saturated Fat: 56g, Cholesterol: 504mg, Sodium: 2679mg, Potassium: 1048mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 165g, Vitamin A: 3560IU, Vitamin C: 15.4mg, Calcium: 222mg, Iron: 8mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
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About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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114 Comments

  1. Hello, I just came across this recipe and it looks delicious! I wanted to make it tomorrow however, I do not have unsalted butter….can regular butter be used?
    Thank you in advance.

    Debbie

    1. Yes, you can use salted butter too. You may want to cut back a little bit on the salt if you use regular salted butter. But even if not, it should still turn out tasty!

    1. It will last longer if you do. It should last a day or two on the counter, but can last up to a week in the fridge.

  2. 5 stars
    Banana bread with cream cheese filling is excellent I have made it 2 times it’s delicious thank you for the recipe

  3. 5 stars
    We love banana bread and with the cream cheese even better! Not hard to make and you will love the taste.

  4. 5 stars
    Banana bread is a family favorite and I’m glad I came across this recipe. The cream cheese center took it to a new level. So good!

  5. 5 stars
    I love your recipes. After my wife left years back I had to teenage boys to raise and feed. I could cook some but since then I have become quite experienced. Your Turkey Tetrazzini and and Italian Sausage Pasta are two of our favorites.

    A question. Do you think a Bundt pan instead of two loaf pans would work?

    1. Oh thank you! I’m so glad the recipes are a hit with your family. For the banana bread, you could give it a try! I haven’t made it in a bundt pan, but you could certainly try! I suppose it would work just fine. You’ll have to let us know how it turns out.

    1. Hi Jo! It looks like we need to update the recipe card. Thanks for catching that. If you read up in the post, the instructions for the cream cheese are there. We’ll get that card at the bottom updated too. Thanks!