Recipe Review- Banana Cream Cheese Bread

I got this one from Mazenbloo after asking for advice on problems with bread becoming too crusty. This was something she got off of All-Recipes and modified her recipe a bit (there are notes in this recipe). I actually didn't use pecans (didn't have them handy) but made a brown sugar-cinnamon type of topping for the bread, which was good!!!


INGREDIENTS

* 1/2 cup margarine, softened
* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1 1/4 cups white sugar (I actually use 3/4 brown and 1/2 white sugar for this)
* 2 eggs
* 3 ripe mashed bananas
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 3/4 cup chopped pecans
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
~~~***I don't do the stuff in the middle (nuts/sugar/cinnamon). I put the cinnamon in the dry ingredients with the bread. But I do the nuts/brown sugar for the top for sort of a struesel type topping. :D)

1. Cream the butter or margarine and cream cheese together. Gradually add the sugar, and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the mashed bananas and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, and soda; mix until batter is just moist.

2. In a small bowl, mix together chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and cinnamon.

3. Divide 1/2 batter into two greased and floured 8x4 inch loaf pans. Sprinkle pecan mixture over batter in pans, and top with remaining batter.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

The result?? SOFT and delicious banana bread. Oh man...this was the best. I made this earlier this week but had no time to write about it. I took one of the loaves to my SIL and she is in love with it. We're going to be using this recipe from now on!

Thanks Mazen!!! :)