strawberry banana bread

Banana Bread

Strawberry Banana Bread

Give classic banana bread a sweet twist with the addition of juicy strawberries. The combination of the fruits turns this simple quick bread into a bright, sweet breakfast bread, snack or dessert. For an extra-decadent treat, serve each slice with a scoop of sliced strawberries.

Ingredients

¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup white whole-wheat flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or avocado
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 bananas)
¾ cup chopped fresh strawberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
Beat cream cheese, butter and oil on medium speed in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture alternately with banana, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Fold in strawberries. Spoon into the prepared pan.
Bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 65 to 75 minutes. (Shield with foil after 45 minutes, if needed, to prevent excessive browning.) Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.