Caramel Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins (Printable)

Moist banana muffins swirled with sweet caramel cream cheese filling

# Required Ingredients:

→ Muffin Batter

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
08 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil
09 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 1/4 cup whole milk

→ Caramel Cream Cheese Swirl

13 - 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
14 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
15 - 1 large egg yolk
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
17 - 1/4 cup thick caramel sauce

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or apply nonstick spray to each cup.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, oil, and sugar until combined. Add mashed bananas, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix until smooth.
04 - Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain tender texture.
05 - In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth. Swirl in caramel sauce, leaving streaks for marbled appearance.
06 - Spoon batter into each muffin cup, filling approximately two-thirds full. Dollop 1 tablespoon of caramel cream cheese mixture onto each muffin, then use a toothpick or skewer to gently swirl into batter.
07 - Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Avoid testing through cream cheese swirl.
08 - Cool muffins in tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The caramel cream cheese swirl stays gooey in the center while the banana cake around it stays perfectly moist and tender.
  • These come together in just 42 minutes from start to finish, making them ideal for unexpected guests or weekend cravings.
  • Each muffin is portable enough to grab on your way out but fancy enough to impress someone at the coffee table.
02 -
  • If your cream cheese isn't soft when you start beating it, your swirl mixture will be lumpy and refuse to marble beautifully, so take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you start.
  • The most common mistake is testing for doneness by inserting the toothpick directly into the cream cheese swirl, which will always come out wet and make you think the muffins need more time.
03 -
  • Mash your bananas on a plate with a fork rather than in a blender or food processor, which will make them gluey and dense.
  • If you're making the caramel swirl and find it too runny, you can fold in an extra ounce of softened cream cheese to thicken it without sacrificing that caramel flavor.
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