• Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy.
• Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at time, just until blended.
• Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt) in a separate bowl.
• Then gradually add to the butter/cream cheese mix at a low speed until just blended.
• Mash bananas and stir into mix.
• Add pecans (optional) and vanilla.
• Spoon batter into 2 greased loaf pans.
• Bake for 1 hour at 350.
• Watch the bread, if it starts to brown, add tin foil for the last 15 mins to avoid too much browning.
• Cool for 10 mins, remove from the pans onto wire racks and cool for 30 mins before slicing.

Optional topping:

• Stir ingredients together.
• Prepare the batter above.
• Spoon into pans.
• Sprinkle mix evenly over batter.
• Bake and cool as directed above.