A cream cheese layer sits in the middle of these muffins, and that is the whole point. You get banana bread on top and bottom, a soft sweet cheese filling in between.
The batter takes one bowl and about ten minutes. Ripe bananas do the heavy lifting on flavor, so use the ones with brown spots you were about to throw out. Sour cream keeps the crumb soft for a couple of days.
There is one real failure here: overfilling the cups. Three thin layers need room to rise, and a cup packed to the top will spill over the pan and burn on the bottom. Fill each one about two-thirds of the way and you are fine.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the oven
Set the oven to 350F (180C) and grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Grease the top of the pan too, not just the cups.
2. Mix the wet base
Whisk the beaten egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, softened butter, sour cream and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Add the bananas and mash them into the mixture with a fork.
3. Add the dry ingredients
Add the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Stir just until you stop seeing dry flour. Set the bowl aside.
4. Make the filling
In a small bowl, mix the second egg, softened cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth with no lumps. A few strokes with a whisk is enough.
5. Layer the cups
Spoon banana batter into each cup to cover the bottom, about a tablespoon. Add a spoonful of cream cheese filling, then top with more batter until the cup is about two-thirds full.
6. Bake
Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Start checking at 20. The muffins are done when a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean.
7. Cool before eating
Leave the muffins in the pan 15 minutes. The filling is very hot straight from the oven and it firms up as it cools.
Tips & Tricks
- Set the cream cheese and butter out at least 30 minutes before you start. Soft ingredients blend smooth and cold ones leave lumps.
- Mash the bananas directly into the wet mixture. You want some small chunks, not a puree.
- Grease the muffin tin well, including the top edge of each cup. These muffins rise and touch the pan.
- A toothpick in the center should come out clean. If it comes out with wet cream cheese on it, give the pan 3 more minutes.
Pro Tips
How to Store Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread Muffins
Refrigerator
Keep them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days, since the filling contains cream cheese and egg.
Freezer
Wrap each cooled muffin tightly and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheating
Warm one in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds. Longer than that and the filling turns runny.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did my cream cheese filling sink to the bottom?
Usually the filling was too thin or the bottom batter layer was too thin to hold it. Add a tablespoon more flour to the filling, chill it 10 minutes, and spread a slightly thicker base layer next time.
Q: Can I use a loaf pan instead of a muffin tin?
Yes, but the timing changes completely. This batter is built for small cups, so a loaf needs a much longer bake and a lower heat. Stick with the muffin tin for a reliable result.
Q: Do the bananas have to be overripe?
They should be soft with brown spots. Yellow bananas give you a pale, bland muffin. If yours are firm, roast them at 350F for 15 minutes first, then cool and mash.
Q: How do I know the muffins are baked through?
Push a toothpick into the center, through the filling. It should come out clean. If it comes out coated in wet cream cheese, bake 3 more minutes and check again.
Q: Can I make the batter the night before?
You can mix it, cover it and refrigerate overnight, but the baking soda starts working right away. Expect a slightly denser muffin. Mixing and baking the same day gives the best rise.
Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread Muffins Recipe
Moist banana bread muffins with a sweet cream cheese center baked right inside. One bowl for the batter, one for the filling, 25 minutes in the oven.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven — Set the oven to 350F (180C) and grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Grease the top of the pan too, not just the cups.
- 2Mix the wet base — Whisk the beaten egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, softened butter, sour cream and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Add the bananas and mash them into the mixture with a fork.
- 3Add the dry ingredients — Add the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Stir just until you stop seeing dry flour. Set the bowl aside.
- 4Make the filling — In a small bowl, mix the second egg, softened cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth with no lumps. A few strokes with a whisk is enough.
- 5Layer the cups — Spoon banana batter into each cup to cover the bottom, about a tablespoon. Add a spoonful of cream cheese filling, then top with more batter until the cup is about two-thirds full.
- 6Bake — Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Start checking at 20. The muffins are done when a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean.
- 7Cool before eating — Leave the muffins in the pan 15 minutes. The filling is very hot straight from the oven and it firms up as it cools.
Questions or cooking notes?
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