banana chocolate chip cream cheese muffins~

rise and shine!

 moist, not to sweet, cream cheese filled with cinnamon topping~

 

cream cheese banana muffins

Cinnamon Pecan Streusel 1/2 cup pecans 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed tablespoon cinnamon 4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed Banana Cake 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 large ripe bananas) 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 1/4 cups greek yogurt 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips Cream Cheese Filling 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup Reserved Batter (see instructions) 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Vanilla Glaze 1 cup Powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons milk Garnish (optional) Garnish (optional) milk chocolate chips

Instructions

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray all inside surfaces of a 16 cup nonstick tube pan with nonstick cooking spray WITH FLOUR or grease and flour the inside of your pan. Set aside.   *** I made 16 large muffins***
2. Cinnamon Pecan Streusel: Add pecans to your food processor and pulse 3 times. Add flour, brown sugar and cinnamon and pulse a few times to combine. Sprinkle cold butter over top and pulse until chopped and the mixture resembles small pebbles. (You may also combine in a bowl and cut butter in by hand). Set aside in the refrigerator.
3. Cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. Using a stand or hand mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy on medium high speed, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears after each egg. Mix in vanilla and bananas until just until combined.
5. Gradually add flour mixture to banana/butter mixture in thirds, alternately with sour cream in between each third. Beat until just combined. Measure out 1/4 cup batter and set aside for cream cheese filling. Stir chocolate chips into remaining batter until just until combined.
6. Measure out 1 cup batter (to top cream cheese layer) and spoon the rest of the batter into the prepared pan.
7. To your now empty mixing bowl, add 1/4 cup reserved batter, cream cheese, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 cup sugar. Beat on medium high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Spoon Cream Cheese Filling over batter and gently smooth, but do not touch the sides of the pan. Spread reserved 1 cup batter evenly over filling (it will be very thin).
8. Tap pan on counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles then sprinkle evenly with Cinnamon Pecan Streusel.
9. Bake for 55-60 minutes at 350 degrees F or until toothpick inserted comes out clean (without inserting in cream cheese). Let baked cake cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Gently invert cake onto a baking sheet, remove pan, and invert back onto cooling rack streusel side up. Let cool to room temperature. ***I baked in convection oven for 22 minutes***
10. When ready to serve, whisk Vanilla Glaze ingredients together in a medium bowl and drizzle over cake. Sprinkle cake with mini chocolate chips (optional)
11. Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.