This cinnamon roll banana bread is part banana bread and part cinnamon roll with cinnamon sugar swirled throughout the middle and topped with a cream cheese frosting!
Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
Cinnamon swirl banana bread is a cross between a loaf of moist banana bread and overnight cinnamon rolls.
It’s a similar concept to my cinnamon swirl bread in that we’re adding a ribbon of sweet cinnamon throughout the loaf, but instead of yeast bread, we’re making a quick bread with plenty of sweet bananas and adding a cream cheese frosting on top!
Ingredient Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Baking staples: Salted butter, sugar, large eggs, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Sour cream: Adds extra moisture and a slight tangy flavor. The acid also reacts with the baking soda, giving it a nice, soft crumb. You can use plain Greek yogurt instead.
- Ground cinnamon: I always add cinnamon to my banana bread, with or without the cinnamon swirl!
- Ripe bananas: Gives the bread some of that natural sweetness and banana flavor. Grab the ones that have been sitting on your counter because the riper they are, the sweeter they are and the easier they are to mash.
- For the cinnamon swirl: A simple combination of cinnamon sugar is all it takes.
- Cream cheese frosting: Melted butter, softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk. A thinner cream cheese glaze would also be delicious!
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread
In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, and then mix in the eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and mashed bananas. Then, add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until just combined.
Pour half of the banana bread batter into a prepared 9×5 loaf pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the top of the batter. Cover with the rest of the batter and use a butter knife to make a gentle swirling motion down the center.
Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 65-70 minutes until lightly brown. Once baked, let it cool for about 10 minutes and then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before adding the frosting.
Recipe Tips
- If you notice the bread browning too quickly in the oven, cover it lightly with foil.
- To test to see if it’s done, insert a toothpick into the center of the cinnamon swirl banana bread. If it comes out clean, it’s ready.
- Only add the frosting once the bread cools. If you add it too soon, it’ll melt and become runny.
- Turn this loaf into muffins and bake them for 20-25 minutes in a muffin tin.
- If using an 8×4 loaf pan, cut the recipe in half and bake for 55 minutes.
- For mini loaves, fill 4 small loaf pans and bake for 35-45 minutes.
- Add a crumble topping for an extra sweet flavor and crunchy topping.
- Make a lighter version by swapping the sour cream for Greek yogurt and applesauce for the butter. Both are a 1:1 ratio.
- Throw in some mix-ins. Peanuts, walnuts, and pecans are great in banana bread recipes.
Storing Cinnamon Swirled Banana Bread
- Store: Keep a frosted loaf of cinnamon banana swirl bread in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature. You can also keep it fresh for up to a week in the fridge.
- Freeze: I recommend to freeze it without the frosting. Once completely cooled, wrap in plastic wrap or foil and place it in a zip-top bag. Keep it frozen for up to 3 months and thaw it at room temperature before adding the glaze.
More recipes with cinnamon we love include cinnamon roll pancakes, cinnamon roll cookies and one hour cinnamon rolls.
More Banana Bread Recipes
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Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter , softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup sour cream , or plain greek yogurt
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups very ripe bananas , mashed
Cinnamon Swirl
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Cream cheese frosting
- 2 Tablespoons butter , melted
- 2 ounces cream cheese , softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar , more if needed
- 1 Tablespoon milk , if needed
Instructions
Banana bread
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Mix in the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla.
- Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon just until combined. Fold in the mashed banana.
- For the cinnamon swirl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
- Pour HALF of the batter into the loaf pan. Sprinkle cinnamon swirl mixture evenly over the top of the batter. Then top with remaining batter. Gently swirl down the center of the batter with a knife 1 time.
- Bake 65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is lightly browned. If the top is browning too fast, cover lightly with foil.
- Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack.
Frosting
- In a small bowl combine the melted butter, softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. Whisk until combined. Add a Tablespoon of milk if needed to thin. Then spread over top of the cinnamon roll banana bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
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Categorized as: American, Bread, Christmas, Quick Bread, Reader Favorites
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
This bread recipe turned out so well and didn’t last long! We loved the addition of the cream cheese frosting, but it would have been great without it too. – Alisha, recipe tester
So glad you enjoyed the cinnamon roll banana bread!