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Perfect Pumpkin Banana Bread with Easy Cream Cheese Swirl

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This perfect pumpkin banana bread with cream cheese swirl combines earthy pumpkin and sweet banana with a tangy cream cheese ribbon. It’s a moist, tender quick bread that tastes like autumn and is perfect for fall gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups (210g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ cup (1 stick or 113g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240g) pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 2 medium very ripe bananas (about 1 cup mashed)
  • ¼ cup (60ml) buttermilk
  • For the cream cheese swirl:
  • 6 oz (170g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease the short sides with butter or nonstick spray.
  2. Make the cream cheese swirl: In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with ¼ cup granulated sugar until smooth. Add the egg yolk, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and 1 tablespoon flour. Mix until combined and silky. Set aside at room temperature.
  3. Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon until no lumps remain.
  4. Mash the bananas: In a separate medium bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth with a few small chunks. Measure to get about 1 cup of mashed banana.
  5. Combine the wet ingredients: To the mashed bananas, add the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin purée, and buttermilk. Whisk until well combined and smooth.
  6. Fold the batter together: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold gently until just combined—no streaks of flour remain. A few lumps are okay. Do not overmix.
  7. Layer the batter and swirl: Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread even. Drop spoonfuls of half the cream cheese mixture over the batter. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl. Pour the remaining batter on top, then add the rest of the cream cheese mixture in spoonfuls. Swirl again with a knife, making figure-eight patterns. Do not over-swirl.
  8. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center (avoiding the cream cheese swirl if possible) comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched. If the top is browning too quickly after 40 minutes, tent loosely with aluminum foil.
  9. Cool properly: Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Then use the parchment overhang to lift it out and transfer to the rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

For best flavor, let the bread rest overnight wrapped tightly in plastic wrap before slicing. The cream cheese swirl is most pronounced when the bread has cooled completely. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the pumpkin-banana part of the bread, avoiding the cream cheese swirl. If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar to ¼ cup regular milk and let sit for 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin banana bread, cream cheese swirl, fall baking, quick bread, pumpkin bread, banana bread

Find it online: https://milacook.com/perfect-pumpkin-banana-bread-with-easy-cream-cheese-swirl/