Description

A moist and tender banana bread infused with aromatic chai spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger, featuring a tangy cream cheese swirl for a sophisticated flavor contrast.

Ingredients

Scale

3 medium ripe bananas (about 1 ½ cups mashed)
½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
½ cup (100g) dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
a pinch of black pepper
4 oz (115g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon milk (optional, for thinning)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mash ripe bananas until smooth. Add melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined and glossy.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and black pepper.
Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Gently fold together with a spatula until just combined; do not overmix.
In a small bowl, beat softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add milk if needed to reach a spreadable consistency.
Spread half of the banana batter into the prepared pan. Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture over the batter. Top with remaining batter.
Gently swirl the cream cheese into the batter with a knife or skewer in a figure-eight pattern to create visible ribbons.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Ensure bananas are very ripe with brown spots for maximum sweetness. Do not overmix the batter to avoid tough bread. Room temperature ingredients incorporate better. Cool completely before slicing to prevent gumminess. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of loa
Calories: 220
Sugar: 22
Sodium: 180
Fat: 10
Saturated Fat: 5
Carbohydrates: 32
Fiber: 1
Protein: 3

Keywords: chai banana bread, cream cheese swirl, banana bread recipe, chai spices, cardamom, cinnamon, homemade dessert, brunch recipe