Banana Bread

I had 4 bananas that had gotten to the "make banana bread out of me" stage recently so I decided to try out a new recipe. I have one I really like that I've been using for years but my son isn't a huge fan of it and I think my husband likes it ok, but it's not necessarily his "favorite" either, so every now and then I'll try something new and see if it's better! This one comes from Kraft.

Started with whole wheat and AP flours, Stevia, butter, cream cheese, baking soda, baking powder, eggs and bananas!

I softened the butter and cream cheese for about 10-15 seconds and put those in the mixer bowl.

Next came the Stevia!

That was allowed to blend until completely combined and smooth.

I peeled the four very ripe bananas!

And in they went to the mixture!

That was blended thoroughly to break up the banana.

And then the eggs came next.

Blending in the eggs.

Next the dry ingredients were combined in a bowl and mixed together.

The dry was combined with the wet.

Resulting in a lovely, lumpy, banana-ey mixture!

Spread into the greased loaf pan.

An hour later, a beautiful golden brown loaf of banana bread emerged!

The first slice!

Tender and very moist, this definitely tasted better after allowing the flavors to meld overnight. I think it's a pretty good loaf of banana bread, but not my favorite and I'll keep searching. The original recipe called for 3 bananas instead of 4 and I think if I did make it again I'd add about 1/2 a cup more sweetener (it just didn't quite have enough sweetness for our taste) and only use the 3 instead of 4 bananas. I think the extra banana gave it a little too much moisture and it flattened and doesn't really have much a "bread" quality/texture to it. I like the tenderness the creamcheese seems to give it - this is the first time I've made a loaf with that ingredient and do think it works well.

Recipe slightly adapted from Kraft.

Ingredients

1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

1 cupsugar

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas)

2 eggs

1-1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour

1-1/2 tsp.Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Beat cream cheese, butter and sugar and butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add bananas and eggs; mix well. Add combined dry ingredients; mix just until moistened.  
    
POUR into greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.

BAKE 1 hour or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 min.; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely before slicing to serve. Store any leftover bread in refrigerator.

How to Soften Cream Cheese

Place completely unwrapped package of cream cheese in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 10 sec. or just until softened..