Germany’s holiday lockdown is supposed to last until next week – let’s hope that’s the end of it and we can slowly go back to a more normal life. Probably not gonna happen if you look at the numbers, but some can hope, right? Well… lockdown means more people are cooking and baking – which leads more people to food blogs. At least that is something good (for me) ;) No – honestly – people finally spend some more time in the kitchen preparing meals and bake bread or cake instead of just ordering food. I think that is something good. People should bake more. Much more. Even more banana bread (with cream cheese swirls) ;P

My little “banana bread collection” here on the blog was quite popular the last months… not quite sure why. Just kidding ;) Banana bread was the big lockdown hit (for all those that could not handle sourdough bread) and is still very popular when people don’t know what to do with the overripe bananas that are sitting in their kitchens attracting small fruit flies ;P Well… today I got another banana bread recipe for you to try. I think you can never have enough banana bread recipes. Right?! Each tastes a bit different, depending on what you add to the batter besides good old bananas…
I had some cream cheese leftover from a cheesecake the other day, so this recipe was just perfect to get rid of that and the bananas that were browning on the kitchen table. Never let anything go to waste – neither brown bananas nor half-empty cream cheese packages ;)

This banana bread, by the way, is on the lower end of the spectrum when it comes to fluffiness vs. denseness. Can u say that? What I mean – the banana bread here will be quite dense and moist if you prepare it as described in the recipe. You can probably tell from the pictures already. If you want something light and fluffy, you should look somewhere else for a banana bread recipe ;P I don’t mind a dense and moist banana bread as long as it is not completely soggy, but some people don’t like that. So be warned! ;)
There is a lot of moisture in the banana bread batter coming from the bananas, buttermilk, and eggs, so make sure to check towards the end of the baking time with a wooden skewer if the banana bread is done. It might need more time in the oven depending on your oven and also on the size of your bananas and eggs… well and how much water was in your cream cheese – that can also vary a lot. All of the above can lead to more moisture in the dough and a longer baking time.
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
5 oz. (140g) cream cheese
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1 medium egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
For the batter:
3 medium (very ripe) bananas
1/4cup (60ml) buttermilk
1/3 cup (80g) butter, melted
2 medium eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (60g) walnuts, chopped
1 medium banana
140g Frischkäse
2 EL Mehl (Type 550)
1 EL Zucker
1 Ei (M)
1/2 TL Vanille Extrakt
Für den Teig:
3 mittelgroße (sehr reife) Bananen
60ml Buttermilch
80g Butter, geschmolzen
2 Eier (M)
1 TL Vanille Extrakt
260g Mehl (Type 550)
100g Zucker
3/4 TL Natron
1/4 TL Salz
60g Walnüsse, gehackt
1 mittelgroße Banane


DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
2. For the cream cheese filling mix the cream cheese with flour, sugar, the egg, and vanilla extract until well combined. Set aside.
3. For the batter mash the bananas, add to a large bowl, and mix with the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined. Mix the flour with sugar, baking soda, and salt and add to the large bowl – mix until just combined. Add about 3/4 of the chopped walnuts and fold in, keep the rest for the decoration. Pour about 1/3 of the batter into the prepared loaf pan, then add about 1/2 of the cream cheese filling on top (try to keep it in the center), spoon another 1/3 of the batter on top to cover the filling, then repeat the layering with the remaining cream cheese filling and batter. Cut the banana lengthwise in half and place on top of the batter, sprinkle with the remaining chopped walnuts and bake for 65-75 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top gets too dark during baking, cover with a piece of aluminum foil and continue baking. Take the finished cake out of the oven and let cool down inside the pan for about 15 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool down completely on a wire rack.
2. Für die Frischkäsefüllung den Frischkäse mit Mehl, Zucker, Ei und Vanille Extrakt verrühren und dann zur Seite stellen.
3. Für den Teig die Bananen zerdrücken, in eine große Schüssel geben und mit der Buttermilch, der geschmolzenen Butter, Eiern und Vanille Extrakt verrühren. Mehl, Zucker, Natron und Salz vermischen und dann zur Schüssel dazugeben – alles nur kurz verrühren. Etwa 3/4 der gehackten Walnüsse dazugeben und unterheben, den Rest für die Dekoration zur Seite stellen. Etwa 1/3 des Teiges in die vorbereitete Form füllen, dann etwa die Hälfte der Frischkäsefüllung darauf geben (möglichst in der Mitte damit bleiben). Ein weiteres Drittel des Teiges auf der Füllung verteilen uns sie damit möglichst abdecken, dann mit der restlichen Frischkäsefüllung und Teig wiederholen. Die letzte Banane der Länge nach halbieren und die beiden Hälften auf den Teig legen und mit den restlichen gehackten Walnüssen bestreuen. Das Bananenbrot für etwa 65-75 Minuten backen. Mit einem Holzspieß testen, ob noch Teig kleben bleibt und das Bananenbrot erst herausholen, wenn der Spieß sauber herauskommt. Sollte das Bananenbrot während des Backens zu dunkel werden, mit einem Stück Alufolie abdecken und weiterbacken. Das fertige Brot aus dem Ofen holen und in der Form etwa 15 Minuten abkühlen lassen, dann vorsichtig aus der Form lösen und auf einem Kuchengitter komplett auskühlen lassen.


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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
Print
Cream Cheese Swirl Banana Bread
- Prep Time: 00:20
- Cook Time: 01:15
- Total Time: 02:00
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: American
Description
Lockdown bake number 1! Banana bread with a little cream cheese swirl inside – super delicious and packed with flavors!!
Ingredients
For the cream cheese filling:
5 oz. (140g) cream cheese
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1 medium egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
For the batter:
3 medium (very ripe) bananas
1/4 cup (60ml) buttermilk
1/3 cup (80g) butter, melted
2 medium eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (60g) walnuts, chopped
1 medium banana
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9×5 inches (23x13cm) loaf pan lightly and with a piece of baking parchment. Set aside.
2. For the cream cheese filling mix the cream cheese with flour, sugar, the egg, and vanilla extract until well combined. Set aside.
3. For the batter mash the bananas, add to a large bowl, and mix with the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined. Mix the flour with sugar, baking soda, and salt and add to the large bowl – mix until just combined. Add about 3/4 of the chopped walnuts and fold in, keep the rest for the decoration. Pour about 1/3 of the batter into the prepared loaf pan, then add about 1/2 of the cream cheese filling on top (try to keep it in the center), spoon another 1/3 of the batter on top to cover the filling, then repeat the layering with the remaining cream cheese filling and batter. Cut the banana lengthwise in half and place on top of the batter, sprinkle with the remaining chopped walnuts and bake for 65-75 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top gets too dark during baking, cover with a piece of aluminum foil and continue baking. Take the finished cake out of the oven and let cool down inside the pan for about 15 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool down completely on a wire rack.
Notes
Enjoy baking!
Keywords: banana bread, cream cheese, swirl