Mango Banana Bread

This recipe calls for a whole package of cream cheese... need I say more? Well anyway, I've made this recipe as solely banana bread before and I LOVE IT (notice again... a WHOLE PACKAGE OF CREAM CHEESE). I looked at the recipe and said to myself... I'll bet any mashed up fruit (as long as it had a similar consistency to mashed up bananas) would taste wonderful in this recipe. I'll bet it's fantastic with peaches but my grocery store didn't have any fresh ones today, so I went with mangos! I think next time I'll even use two mangos. As long as you keep the rest of the recipe the same and use 1 1/2 cups TOTAL of mashed up fruit, I think it will come out beautifully!

Mango Banana Bread

Makes two 8 X 4 inch loaves
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 large bananas)
1/2 cup mashed mango (about 1 mango)
1 package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all purpose white flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease and flour two 8 X 4 inch loaf pans.
 
2. Cut up bananas and mash in a bowl with a fork.
 
3. Cut up mango (directions here) and mash in a bowl with a fork.
 
4. Mix cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until creamy.
 
5. Gradually add sugar and mix until light and fluffy.
 
6. Add eggs one at a time.
 
7. Combine wheat flour and white flour and mix. Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and combine.
 
8. Gradually add flour mixture to cream cheese mixture.
 
9. Stir in mashed bananas, mashed mango, and vanilla.
 
10. Pour mixture into two loaf pans and bake for one hour. Insert a wooden stick or butter knife and if it comes out clean they're done! Enjoy!

Based on what was fresh in my grocery store today, I went with bananas and mangos! I REALLY want to try this recipe with bananas and peaches though. Yum!

Cut up your bananas and mangos in small enough pieces that they are easy to mash with a fork. This video shows you how to cut up a mango. It has a pit inside that you have to avoid!

Mash up your fruit with a fork! Leave some chunks if you want some texture.

Sigh. I just can't get over the cream cheese. The final result is so dense and moist and tasty! Mix the softened butter and cream cheese together.

Gradually mix the sugar into the cream cheese and butter mixture.

Add one egg at a time.

I like using half wheat flour and half white flour lately. I don't think it compromises the texture at all and it adds a tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiny bit of something that's not terrible for you.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the cream cheese and butter mixture.

It will be pretty thick.

Stir in the mashed up bananas, mashed up mango, and vanilla. I may or may not have eaten a spoonfull or two of the batter. I just can't help myself!

Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour!

Ooooooo

It is quite delicious! And I'm really looking forward to experimenting with the fruit combinations now that I know it will work! You will enjoy it, I promise.