Cream Cheese Cinnamon Swirl Loaf (Printable Version)

Moist banana protein loaf with a luscious cinnamon cream cheese swirl for a nutritious breakfast

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Loaf

01 - 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1/3 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
04 - 1/2 cup milk of choice
05 - 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
07 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 cup vanilla or unflavored protein powder
09 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ For the Cream Cheese Cinnamon Swirl

13 - 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
14 - 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
15 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar or coconut sugar
16 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
17 - 1 egg yolk
18 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, Greek yogurt, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine all-purpose flour, protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.
04 - Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix to maintain optimal texture.
05 - In another bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, sugar, cinnamon, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
06 - Pour half of the loaf batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly across the bottom.
07 - Spoon half of the cream cheese mixture over the batter and gently swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect.
08 - Add the remaining loaf batter on top, then spoon and swirl the rest of the cream cheese mixture throughout.
09 - Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with only a few moist crumbs remaining.
10 - Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like a dessert but packs 10 grams of protein per slice, so you're actually winning at breakfast.
  • The cream cheese swirl transforms banana bread from simple comfort food into something that feels a little bit fancy without the fuss.
  • One loaf gives you most of the week covered if you're the type who plans ahead.
02 -
  • If your cream cheese isn't soft, your swirl becomes a chunky mess that won't distribute evenly—I've served it anyway out of stubbornness, and it's not recommended.
  • The toothpick test is crucial here because the egg and cream cheese layer makes it harder to judge doneness by color alone, and undercooked egg is never your friend.
  • This loaf actually tastes better on day two when the flavors have melded together and the texture has settled into something almost cakey.
03 -
  • Room temperature cream cheese is not negotiable—pull it out 30 minutes before you start baking so your swirl is actually smooth instead of fighting you the whole time.
  • If your banana bread tends to dome too much in the oven, cover the pan loosely with foil for the first 30 minutes to even out the browning.
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