Saturday Sweets: Super Soft Banana Loaf
Author: 
Recipe type: Loaf
Prep: 
Cook: 
Total time: 
Serves: 24
 
A soft, dense banana bread without any extra wetness. Just plenty of banana flavour with a tang from the cream cheese!
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, regular or light, room temperature
  • 1¾ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 large, ripe bananas, mashed well (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • TOPPING:
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Tbsp flour
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8½" x 4½" or 9" x 5" loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside (they will be slightly taller in the smaller pans, but the cooking time is the same).
  2. In a large bowl, cream together butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes (don't rush this step!). Beat in the eggs, vanilla and mashed bananas.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until completely combined.
  4. In a small bowl, mix together the topping ingredients until combined and crumbly.
  5. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle with the topping.
  6. Bake for 50-55 minutes until the bread is rounded and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  7. Remove from oven and let rest in pans for 5-10 minutes before running a knife around the edges to loosen and turning out on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Like many loaves, this tastes even better the next day! If you won't need both loaves, let them cool completely and wrap one, unsliced, in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze. Defrost at room temperature when needed.
Recipe by Hidden Ponies at https://hiddenponies.com/2014/03/super-soft-banana-bread/