Cream Cheese Banana Bread with Sweet Cinnamon Topping

 

From Mel's Kitchen Café

 

This Banana bread is sooo sooo yummy, I love the addition of the cinnamon in the batter.

 

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks, 3/4 cup) butter, softened to room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese, light or regular, softened to room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large bananas)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

Topping: I double the topping

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8 1/2- by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese and sugar until very light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and bananas.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.
4. In a small bowl, mash 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 50-60 minutes until the bread is nicely domed and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven and let rest in the pans for 5-10 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack to cool completely.