Shelly's Recipe

CREAM CHEESE BANANA-NUT BREAD

Category: Quick Breads

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 (8-oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium bananas)
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (See "Toasting Pecans" below)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans, or line bottoms of pans with parchment paper and spray paper with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans and vanilla. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and sides pull away from the pan. If necessary, place aluminum foil over breads the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent over-browning.

Cool bread in pans on wire racks for 20 minutes. Remove from pans (and if you used parchment paper to line pans, remove paper) and cool breads completely on wire racks before slicing.

Storing: Store bread in an airtight container or wrap well in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Well wraped bread keeps at room temperature for up to 5 days. You may also keep bread refrigerated, if desired.

Freezing: Bread freezes well. To freeze one or both loaves, tightly wrap in plastic wrap, then wrap tightly in aluminum foil, place in freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Makes 2 loaves.