Cream Cheese Cinnamon Swirl Protein Loaf (Printable Version)

Protein-rich banana loaf with cinnamon cream cheese swirl

# What You'll Need:

→ Loaf Base

01 - 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1/3 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
04 - 1/2 cup milk of choice
05 - 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
07 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 cup vanilla or unflavored protein powder
09 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Cream Cheese Cinnamon Swirl

13 - 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
14 - 2 tablespoons plain nonfat Greek yogurt
15 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar or coconut sugar
16 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
17 - 1 egg yolk
18 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, Greek yogurt, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine flour, protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Whisk to distribute leavening agents evenly.
04 - Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture using a spatula or wooden spoon. Mix only until just combined; do not overmix to preserve tender crumb structure.
05 - In a clean bowl, beat softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, sugar, cinnamon, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy using an electric or hand mixer.
06 - Pour half of the loaf batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly across the bottom.
07 - Spoon half of the cream cheese mixture evenly over the batter. Using a knife or skewer, gently swirl through the layers to create a marbled pattern.
08 - Spread the remaining loaf batter over the cream cheese layer, sealing the edges against the pan sides.
09 - Spoon remaining cream cheese mixture over the top layer and swirl gently with a knife to create decorative marbling throughout.
10 - Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Do not test with wet batter.
11 - Cool loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's secretly decadent—that cream cheese swirl tastes indulgent while you're eating something legitimately nutritious.
  • You can bake it on Sunday and have grab-and-go breakfast for days without feeling like you're eating the same thing twice.
  • The protein powder disappears into the crumb, so even if you're skeptical about that stuff, you won't taste it.
02 -
  • Don't open the oven door before 40 minutes have passed—I learned this the hard way when my loaf didn't rise properly and I was convinced the recipe had failed.
  • If your cream cheese is cold when you mix it, you'll end up with little pockets of unmixed cream cheese throughout the swirl, which honestly doesn't hurt the taste but looks unfinished.
03 -
  • Room temperature cream cheese and eggs mix without lumps and blend smoothly into the batter—cold ingredients are your enemy here.
  • If you accidentally overmix the banana batter, add a touch more baking soda to counteract the overdeveloped gluten and keep the crumb tender.
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