Cream Cheese Banana Bread with Lemon Glaze

Like everyone does when they have an abundance of ripe bananas, I decided to make banana bread today.  I didn't already have a favorite recipe, so I checked pinterest for one that looked awesome.  I found this recipe (from theteachercooks.com)

Since I also had cream cheese in my fridge, I was sold on this one immediately!

Cream Cheese Banana Bread from Southern Living

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 8-oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas about 4 medium
• 2 cups of toasted pecans, divided  Toast nuts at 325 degrees in a rimmed pan for about 15 minutes.  Watch carefully they can burn easily!

Icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 Tablespoons  lemon juice
•  1 teaspoon lemon zest

1. Beat butter and cream cheese until creamy.
2. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs, 1 at a time.  Beating well after each egg.
4. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  gradually add to butter mixture.  Beating just until blended.  Do not overbeat.  You will make the bread tough if you overbeat the mixture.  
5. Stir in bananas, 1 cup of chopped nuts, and vanilla.  
6. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured loaf pans.   I used 9×4 inch pans.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup of toasted pecans to the top of each pan
7. Bake at 350 degrees.  Reduce temperature by 25 degrees if using dark  or glass pans.
8. Bake for about 55 minutes.  Adjust your time according to what  type of pans that you are using.  Dark colored pans as well as glass pans cook faster.   I used dark pans.  Other types may take a longer cooking time. 
9.   Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
10. Stir together 1 cup of powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest until blended.  Drizzle evenly over warm bread.
11. Cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack.