Strawberry Cream Cheese-Stuffed Banana Bread
INGREDIENTS
Cream Cheese Filling:
4 ounces light cream cheese (Neufchatel), room temperature
½ cup strawberries, diced
1 tablespoon honey
Bread Batter:
3 ripe bananas
2 large eggs
⅓ cup 2% plain Greek yogurt
½ cup honey
1 ½ cups wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
PREPARATION
1. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of honey, and strawberries until smooth.
2. Microwave the cream cheese mixture in 30 second intervals for a total of 5 minutes, stirring between each interval. This helps cook out the moisture so that the mixture doesn’t create a large pocket of steam in the bread.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
4. In a bowl, mash the bananas with a fork.
5. Add the eggs and mix until well combined and frothy.
6. Add the Greek yogurt and honey, and mix until incorporated.
7. Sprinkle in the whole wheat flour, baking soda, and baking powder, and fold the batter together with a spatula.
8. Pour ¾ of the banana bread batter into a greased loaf pan, smoothing it into an even layer with the spatula.
9. Pour in the cream cheese filling, making sure to keep it away from the edge of the pan.
10. Pour the remaining banana bread batter over the cream cheese filling and smooth the top with a spatula.
11. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly touched.
12. Let the pan cool for 15 minute before removing the loaf from the pan.
13. Allow the bread to cool at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
14. Enjoy!