Caramel Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins (Printable View)

Moist banana muffins swirled with rich caramel cream cheese filling, creating a marbled masterpiece ideal for any time of day.

# Ingredient List:

→ Banana Muffin Batter

01 - 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - ½ cup granulated sugar
07 - ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
08 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
09 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
10 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Caramel Cream Cheese Swirl

12 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
13 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
14 - 1 large egg yolk
15 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
16 - ¼ cup caramel sauce, plus extra for drizzling

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease with cooking spray.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract until well combined.
04 - Fold dry ingredients into wet mixture using a spatula until just combined; avoid overmixing to maintain muffin texture.
05 - In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Gently fold in caramel sauce until incorporated.
06 - Fill each muffin cup approximately two-thirds full with banana batter. Top each with a heaping tablespoon of caramel cream cheese mixture. Swirl gently with a toothpick or knife to create a marbled effect.
07 - Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.
08 - Cool muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Drizzle with additional caramel sauce if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They taste indulgent enough for dessert but feel okay to eat for breakfast because bananas are involved.
  • The caramel cream cheese swirl stays moist and doesn't dry out, even days later.
  • Once you master the swirling technique, you feel like you've unlocked something special in your kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't skip letting cream cheese soften; a cold lump in your swirl mixture will refuse to blend and you'll end up with a grainy, separated texture.
  • The moment you think the muffins are done, they probably need another minute; banana muffins look pale even when they're finished, so lean on the toothpick test more than color.
03 -
  • Room-temperature eggs blend into the batter smoothly without any grainy texture or visible whites that never quite incorporate.
  • If you add toasted nuts, chop them fine enough that they don't create hard spots you have to bite through; they're meant to add crunch, not resistance.
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