Southern Living's Cream Cheese Banana Bread

Johnsdeere's Note:

I get so many rave reviews for this banana bread, courtesy of Southern living. My father-in-law will request this every couple of weeks and I can happily oblige due to the over ripe bananas we have in our home. The cream cheese keeps the bread nice and moist and the pecans are a nice added texture. :) I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. One thing to point out I prefer to use Nucoa Margarine, it doesn't burn, it doesn't contain milk or whey either) In the end..it makes a prettier loaf of bread)

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 12-24

Yield: 2.0 Loaves

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (1 1/4 pounds unpeeled bananas, about 4 medium)
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanilla. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8- x 4-inch loafpans.
3. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and sides pull away from pan, shielding with aluminum foil last 15 minutes to prevent browning, if necessary. Cool bread in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool 30 minutes on wire racks before slicing.

Reviews

[bmcnichol]

I had some bananas to use up and boy was this a good way to use them. I followed the recipe as written and everyone enjoyed this. Made for Spring PAC 2012

[Becke.haas]

Great recipe. I added dried cranberries and walnuts into the bread!

[leggie88]

This bread came out fantastic. So tasty and moist. I added a dash of clove. Great recipe for my first attempt at banana bread. The best part is it yields 2 loaves! Thank you Johnsdeere.