Cranberry Cream Cheese Banana Bread
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 11 ounces or 3 large)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons melted, cooled coconut oil* or canola oil
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or honey
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons reduced-sugar dried cranberries, divided
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE WHITE CHOCOLATE TOPPING:
- 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons nonfat plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ounce white chocolate, chopped, from a whole bar or the melting disks (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Bake the bread: Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Mash the bananas in the bottom of a large bowl until mostly smooth. Whisk in the egg, then the yogurt and oil. If you’re using coconut oil and it resolidifies, microwave the bowl for a few seconds to melt it. Whisk in the maple syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda, ginger, and salt over the top, then stir until combined. Gently stir in the flour until barely combined, then fold in 1/2 cup of the cranberries.
- Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check at the 35-minute mark and tent with foil if the bread is browning too quickly at the corners. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on the wire rack to finish cooling completely.
- While the bread cools, prepare the cream cheese white chocolate topping: In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract on medium speed until smooth. Reduce mixer speed to low, then slowly add the powdered sugar until combined. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the white chocolate and coconut oil. Microwave, uncovered, at 70% power for 20 seconds, then stir. Continue microwaving at 70% in 20-second bursts, stopping to stir between each. When the white chocolate is almost but not completely melted, remove from the microwave and stir until completely smooth, letting the residual heat melt the white chocolate the rest of the way.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture over the top of the cooled bread. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons cranberries, then drizzle with the white chocolate. Allow the chocolate set for a few minutes. Slice and serve.
- To bake this recipe as 12 muffins instead of in a loaf pan, lightly grease a standard muffin tin, then divide the batter evenly among the cups. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the muffins spring back lightly when touched.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (the bread tastes even better on Day 2!) or freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- If you’d like to reduce the overall calories and fat in the bread, omit the cream cheese and white chocolate topping. The bread will be less sweet but still delicious without them!
- If you do not have whole wheat pastry flour, you can swap the same amount of white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour.
- I have not yet experimented with making this bread gluten free, but I think you could use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose blend like this one.
Cranberry Cream Cheese Banana Bread from Well Plated