Life is too short to constantly restrict yourself. This banana bread is great for a brunch celebration.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 C Spelt flour (or 1 1/2 C all purpose)
- 1 1/2 t baking powder
- 1/2 t salt
- 1/2 C brown sugar
- 3/4 stick of butter, softened
- 3/4 t lemon zest
- 2 Large eggs, beaten
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- opt: 1/2 C chopped nuts or 1/4 C chopped apricots, dried
- 6 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 C sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 t vanilla
- 3 T flour
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9*5 loaf pan
Whisk together in a small bowl: flour, baking powder, and salt.
Beat in a medium bowl: brown sugar, butter, and lemon zest.
Beat into sugar mixture: eggs and bananas.
Add in the dry ingredients in 3 parts, beating until smooth after each addition.
OPT: you may fold in any optionals at this time.
In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until creamy.
Add in egg and vanilla.
Add in the flour.
Pour 2/3 of the banana bread mixture into the pan.
Evenly distribute the cream cheese mixture into the pan, leaving a gap around the edges.
Pour in the remaining banana bread mixture to cover the cream cheese.
Bake the bread for 1 hour (top will look golden brown)
Notes
* Have all of your ingredients out at room temp Tip: since there is cream cheese filling, this tastes better completely cooled and left in the fridge for an hour.
Secret: you can make this bread without the cream cheese center. You will cook it until a toothpick comes out clean.
Muffins: you could make these as muffins. Oven should be at 325 and put them in for 12 min and check on them every 5 min. They should be golden brown when

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