Ingredients
For the Banana Bread:
* 3 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1.5 cups)
* 1 large egg
* ½ cup butter, melted
* ¾ cup sugar (can be a mix of brown and white sugar)
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp baking soda and a pinch of salt
* Optional: ¼ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream for extra moisture
For the Cheesecake Filling:
* 8 oz cream cheese, softened (1 block)
* 1 large egg
* ¼ cup granulated sugar
* 2–3 tbsp all-purpose flour (this keeps the filling from sinking)
Instructions
* Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
* Make Banana Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, melted butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Gently fold in the flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined. Do not overmix.
* Make Filling: In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the egg, sugar, and flour until completely smooth.
* The Layering:
* Pour about half of the banana batter into the prepared pan.
* Spread the entire cream cheese mixture evenly over the batter.
* Carefully spoon the remaining banana batter over the top, smoothing it gently to cover the filling.
* The Topping (for the photo look): Slice a fresh banana lengthwise and place the two halves, cut-side up, on top of the batter before baking.
* Bake: Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil.
* Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before removing it. For the cleanest slices (like in the photo), let it cool completely so the cheesecake layer sets.
