Description

A moist, autumnal banana bread infused with warm chai spices and swirled with a tangy cream cheese mixture for a rich, comforting treat.

Ingredients

Scale

3 large ripe bananas (about 1 ½ cups mashed)
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons chai spice mix (1 tsp cardamom, ½ tsp ginger, ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp cloves, pinch of black pepper)
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
4 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.
In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth.
Add melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, yogurt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to the bananas. Whisk until well combined.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, chai spice mix, baking soda, and salt.
Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and gently fold together with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
In a small bowl, whisk cream cheese, powdered sugar, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla until smooth.
Spread half of the banana batter into the prepared pan. Dollop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture over the batter and swirl gently with a knife. Add remaining batter, dollop with remaining cream cheese, and swirl again.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Tent with foil if browning too quickly.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Use the ripest bananas possible for maximum sweetness. Do not overmix the batter to avoid a dense loaf. Ensure ingredients are at room temperature for best incorporation. Can be made gluten-free using a 1:1 flour blend or dairy-free using substitutes.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 280
Sugar: 22
Sodium: 210
Fat: 12
Saturated Fat: 7
Carbohydrates: 38
Fiber: 2
Protein: 5

Keywords: banana bread, chai spice, cream cheese swirl, autumn baking, easy bread, fall recipe, moist banana bread