Bananarama

Ummm, so I love to bake. I do it about once a week (and take it to work the next day to remove the temptation!). My favorite website for new recipes is Recipezaar.com. It has thousands of great recipes, all user submitted, and the best part is they're rated and reviewed! That way you know if a recipe is great! Here is the best banana bread recipe I've ever found. It can also double as a cake recipe (just cook it in a bundt pan instead of two small bread pans). Enjoy!!

Cripsy Cinnamon Streusel Banana Nut Cream Cheese Bread
(I left out the nuts.)

Ingredients

Bread

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium)
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Streusel

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º.

2. Beat butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer until creamy.

3. Add sugar, gradually, and beat until light and fluffy.

4. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until blended.

5. Gradually add flour and next three ingredients to butter mixture, beating at low until just blended

6. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanilla.

7. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8x4 loafpans.

8. Batter will be thick.

9. For streusel: Stir together 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon.

10. Sprinkle mixture evenly over batter in pans.

11. Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

12. Bread may be shielded with aluminum foil that last 15 minutes to prevent excessive browning of streusel.

13. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.

14. Remove from pans and cool 30 more minutes before slicing.

15. For perfect slices, cut with a serrated or electric knife after cooling.

Link!