Cream Cheese Cinnamon Swirl Loaf (Printable Version)

Protein-enriched banana loaf with Greek yogurt and cinnamon cream cheese swirl. Moist, flavorful, and nutritious.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ For the Loaf

01 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
04 - 1/4 cup milk of choice
05 - 1/4 cup light olive oil or melted coconut oil
06 - 1/3 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
09 - 1/2 cup vanilla or unflavored whey protein powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
11 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ For the Cream Cheese Swirl

14 - 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
15 - 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
16 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
17 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
18 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, Greek yogurt, milk, oil, sugar, and vanilla until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine flour, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk until evenly distributed.
04 - Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients using a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix to maintain a tender crumb structure.
05 - In a small bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth and creamy.
06 - Pour half of the loaf batter into the prepared pan. Dollop half of the cream cheese mixture over the batter and gently swirl with a knife. Repeat with remaining loaf batter and complete the swirl with remaining cream cheese mixture on top.
07 - Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with minimal cream cheese residue.
08 - Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It tastes like dessert but sneaks in 9 grams of protein per slice, so you can pretend youre being responsible.
  • The cream cheese swirl makes every bite feel a little indulgent without any guilt hanging around.
  • It stays moist for days in the fridge, which means meal prep actually works for once.
  • You can eat it cold, warm, or straight from the pan at midnight when no one is watching.
02 -
  • Dont use cold cream cheese or youll end up with chunks that refuse to swirl no matter how hard you try.
  • Check the loaf at 40 minutes because every oven runs a little different and burnt edges ruin the whole vibe.
  • Let it cool completely before storing or condensation will make the top soggy by morning.
03 -
  • Use a light hand when swirling the cream cheese or it disappears into the batter and you lose that pretty marbled effect.
  • If your bananas arent ripe enough, roast them in their peels at 300°F for 15 minutes to bring out the sweetness.
  • Line your loaf pan with parchment paper instead of just greasing it and youll thank yourself when it lifts out clean every single time.
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