Elevate Your Banana Bread With One Creamy Topping

Banana bread is one of the best makeshift breakfasts or casual after-dinner treats that you can bake. Whether you're making your grandma's classic recipe or a banana bread with only three ingredients — the base being a box of yellow cake mix — a creamy topping can make it even better. If you're looking for a sweet and flavorful way to upgrade your next loaf, make a simple cream cheese icing.

Cream cheese not only complements banana bread's dense and chewy crumb, but provides your fruit-centric cake with a bit of extra tangy flavor. For an easily pourable icing that can be drizzled over an entire loaf, whisk a small amount of cream cheese with a bit of milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Feel free to adjust the amounts of each ingredient until you achieve your preferred consistency. For example, to make an extra thin icing, use more milk. 

Alternatively, if you want a thicker topping that can be used as a spread, either use more cream cheese and powdered sugar, or try a butter-based frosting. With an electric mixer, combine roughly equal amounts of softened butter and cream cheese with some vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and a bit of heavy cream. You can also serve this creamy topping on the side by adding a decent smear to each individual slice of bread.

There are more delicious ways to give banana bread a cool and creamy upgrade. Mix Cool Whip and cream cheese for an easy, decadent frosting that has a subtle sweetness, no powdered sugar needed. If you like the idea of an even tangier frosting, combine sour cream with a small amount of powdered sugar. For more breakfast-friendly banana bread, top your morning slices with Greek yogurt sweetened with a bit of honey or maple syrup. You can also make a protein-rich topping by combining cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, a bit of coconut oil, and honey in an electric mixer. 

Once you've had your fill of banana bread lathered in creamy icing, try other easy toppings. For a luscious addition that doesn't include cream cheese, make a chocolate glaze with powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla extract. You can also make a maple syrup glaze by combining butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and maple extract. 

Prefer your toppings to be crumbly or crunchy instead? Try the sweet topping that takes banana bread to new heights with a streusel made of softened butter, flour, and brown sugar. You can also top your next loaf with chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or thinly-sliced fresh bananas. Combine these with a glaze or frosting for a truly fancy look.