As if we needed more of a reason to use up old, super ripe bananas, it’s National Banana Bread Day! This perfectly moist, slightly sweet treat is great for an on-the-go snack, or as a light breakfast. The cream cheese filling keeps the bread from drying out, and actually lightens it up a bit, also adding a bit of protein and indulgence!
For Bread:
¼ cup + 1 tbs Greek yogurt
½ cup (1 stick) salted butter at room temp
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup sugar + extra for topping
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tbs rolled oats for topping
For Filling:
8oz whipped light cream cheese at room temp
2-3 tbs honey
¼ tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a loaf pan with parchment paper and cooking spray. Add all of the wet ingredients plus the sugar to the bowl of a standing mixer, and beat until well combined. This will not be one cohesive emulsion, and you’ll see bits of banana and butter running throughout the mix.
In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients and mix to evenly distribute them throughout the bowl. In 3 batches, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until just combined. Do not over mix!
Next you’ll need to create the filling. In a separate bowl, make sure the cream cheese is at room temp so that it easily mixes with the honey and cinnamon to create one smooth filling.
In a parchment lined and oiled loaf pan, place half of the batter into an even layer, then pour in the entire bowl of cream cheese filling, and top off with the remaining batter. Do your best to spread the batter evenly over the cream cheese mixture. Top with rolled oats and a little sugar for extra crunch and beauty. Bake at 350 for one hour, and let cool for at least 20 minutes. Enjoy!