Cream Cheese Cinnamon Swirl Loaf (Printable Version)

Moist protein-packed loaf with cinnamon cream cheese swirl, perfect for breakfast or snacks.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Loaf Base

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

→ Cream Cheese Cinnamon Swirl

13 - 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
14 - 2 tablespoons plain 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

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, Greek yogurt, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth and well incorporated.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine flour, protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk together thoroughly to distribute leavening agents evenly.
04 - Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; lumps are acceptable to maintain moisture.
05 - In another bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, sugar, cinnamon, egg yolk, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
06 - Pour half of the loaf batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Spoon half of the cream cheese mixture over the batter and gently swirl with a knife using figure-eight motions.
07 - Add the remaining loaf batter on top and spread smoothly. Spoon the remaining cream cheese mixture over the top and swirl gently with a knife to create marbling effect.
08 - Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Avoid pulling it out with raw batter clinging to it.
09 - Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It tastes like banana bread dessert but delivers 10 grams of protein per slice without any chalky aftertaste.
  • That cream cheese swirl layer stays moist and luxurious while the loaf itself stays structured and perfect for slicing.
  • You can prep it in under 20 minutes and actually have time to drink your coffee before it goes in the oven.
02 -
  • The cream cheese mixture needs to be properly softened or you'll end up with lumps that won't swirl smoothly, which I learned the hard way on attempt number two.
  • Do not overmix once you combine wet and dry ingredients—that's the difference between tender crumb and dense brick, and it happens faster than you'd think.
  • A few moist crumbs on the toothpick is perfect; raw batter is not, so err on the side of a minute longer if you're unsure.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix together more smoothly and create a better crumb structure than cold ingredients pulled straight from the fridge.
  • If you catch a batch baking unevenly, rotating the pan halfway through prevents the edges from setting faster than the center.
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