Southern Living's Cinnamon Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups pecans, divided
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups mashed very riped bananas (about 4 medium sized)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans (not toasted)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons melted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f place 3/4 cup pecans in a single layer on a baking shhet and bake 12-15 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring after 6 minutes.
• 2 beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy and light. add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• 3 combine flours and next 4 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
• 4 beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. stir in bananas, toasted pecans, and vanilla. spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8x4 inch pans.
• 5 stir topping ingredients. lightly sprinkle mixture over batter in pans.
• 6 bake at 350°f for one hour or until a long wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and sides of bread pull away from pan, shielding with aluminum foil during last 15 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. cool bread in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. remove from pans to wire racks. let cool 30 minutes.