Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread (with variations)
Wait 30 minutes and cut with a serrated or electric knife for perfect slices. If you're like me, this means you have to make this well in advance of the husband's arrival from work--or kidlets--because otherwise it'll be cut into moments after being taken from the oven. :) Patience is definitely not D's strong suit when bananas are involved. It probably goes without saying, but the riper the banana the better.
Credit: Celeste @ Sugar and Spice
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups self-rising flour*
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (1 1/4 pound peeled bananas, about 4 medium)
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
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. Gradually add flour to butter mixture beating at low speed until just blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanilla. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8 x 4-inch loafpans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour, shielding with alimunum foil the last 15 minutes if need be to prevent over browning. Bread is done when a long wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean and sides pull away from the the pan. Cool bread in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool 30 minutes more, also on the wire rack, before slicing.
* If using all purpose flour, add 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt.
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Variations:
Toasted Coconut Topped: Prepare bread as directed. While bread is baking, stir together 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar, and 1/4 cup milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, 1 cup chopped, toasted peavans and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Remove baked bread from oven and immediately spread tops with coconut mixture. Broil 5 1/2 inches from heat 2 to 3 minutes or just until topping starts to lightly brown. Cool as directed.
Orange Pecan Topped: Prepare bread batter as directed. Sprinkle 1 cup coarsely chopped, toasted peacns evenly over batter in pans. Bake as directed. Cool baked bread 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Stir together 1 cup powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice and 1 teaspoon grated orange rind until blended. Drizzle evenly over warm bread and cool as directed.
Cinnamon Crisp: Prepare bread batter as directed, and spoon into pans. Stir together 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Sprinkle misture evenly over batter. Bake as directed.
Peanut Butter Streusel: Prepare bread batter as directed, and spoon into pans. Combine 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar in a small bowl. Cut in 1/4 cup butter and 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles small peas. Sprinkle misture evenly over batter in pans. Bake and cool as directed.
Toffee Topped: Prepare bread batter as directed, and spoon into desired pans. Stir together 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 2 (1.4 ounce) chocolate covered toffee candy bars (like a Heath or Skor bar), finely chopped. Sprinkle evenly over batter in pans. Bake and cool as directed.
Muffins: Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups. Bake at 350 for 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
Credit: Celeste @ Sugar and Spice
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups self-rising flour*
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (1 1/4 pound peeled bananas, about 4 medium)
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
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. Gradually add flour to butter mixture beating at low speed until just blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanilla. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8 x 4-inch loafpans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour, shielding with alimunum foil the last 15 minutes if need be to prevent over browning. Bread is done when a long wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean and sides pull away from the the pan. Cool bread in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool 30 minutes more, also on the wire rack, before slicing.
* If using all purpose flour, add 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt.
____________________________
Variations:
Toasted Coconut Topped: Prepare bread as directed. While bread is baking, stir together 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar, and 1/4 cup milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, 1 cup chopped, toasted peavans and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Remove baked bread from oven and immediately spread tops with coconut mixture. Broil 5 1/2 inches from heat 2 to 3 minutes or just until topping starts to lightly brown. Cool as directed.
Orange Pecan Topped: Prepare bread batter as directed. Sprinkle 1 cup coarsely chopped, toasted peacns evenly over batter in pans. Bake as directed. Cool baked bread 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Stir together 1 cup powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice and 1 teaspoon grated orange rind until blended. Drizzle evenly over warm bread and cool as directed.
Cinnamon Crisp: Prepare bread batter as directed, and spoon into pans. Stir together 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Sprinkle misture evenly over batter. Bake as directed.
Peanut Butter Streusel: Prepare bread batter as directed, and spoon into pans. Combine 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar in a small bowl. Cut in 1/4 cup butter and 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles small peas. Sprinkle misture evenly over batter in pans. Bake and cool as directed.
Toffee Topped: Prepare bread batter as directed, and spoon into desired pans. Stir together 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 2 (1.4 ounce) chocolate covered toffee candy bars (like a Heath or Skor bar), finely chopped. Sprinkle evenly over batter in pans. Bake and cool as directed.
Muffins: Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups. Bake at 350 for 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.