Banana Pudding Cheesecake

posted by Krystle on July 18, 2016 14 Comments »

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Banana Pudding Cheesecake: Silky smooth banana cheesecake nestled inside a vanilla wafer crust. Tastes like banana pudding in cheesecake form!

Creamy, dreamy banana pudding is one of our favorite desserts. It’s the perfect way to cap off a summer meal. Heck’s it’s a great way to finish ANY meal! We love indulging in banana pudding cheesecake when dining out at the Cheesecake factory.

Our banana pudding is always served with lots of vanilla wafers. What is it about them that goes so perfectly with banana pudding!? Major marketing props to you Nabisco!

Naturally, this banana pudding cheesecake is made with a vanilla wafer crust. If you think graham cracker crusts are yummy, just wait until you taste this!

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Inside the vanilla wafer crust is a creamy, dreamy banana cheesecake. No boxed pudding mix here, our banana pudding cheesecake recipe is made with real bananas!

If you like banana pudding, you’ll love this banana pudding cheesecake!

More Banana Desserts:

Easy Banana Pudding Cupcakes

How To Make Banana Pudding Cheesecake

This banana pudding cheesecake is not has hard as it looks. Let’s break it down into 3 steps.

First, we want to grease and wrap our spring form pan. Then we’ll crush our vanilla waters, and combine them with the melted butter. After that, the crust should bake for 8-10 minutes.

Next up, is the cheesecake layer. We’ll combined mashed bananas, brown sugar, and lemon in a kettle. After it cooks for a few minutes we’ll remove from heat and add the vanilla. After it is cooled, we’ll add in the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Then we’ll bake it in a hot water bath for 45-60 minutes.

The last step is to top with whipped cream, more bananas, and vanilla wafers.

How To Tell If Cheesecake Is Done

It is easy to tell if cake is done, but cheesecake can be a little trickier. My favorite rule of thumb, is that the center should be slightly jiggly. If the whole cheesecake is jiggly, it probably needs baked more. The cheesecake will continue to cook when you remove it from the oven, so don’t worry it will firm up in a bit.

Also, the edges should also be puffy and a light golden brown color.

How Long Does Cheesecake Last

Cheesecake will be at its best quality for about 3-5 days after baking. I keep it as long as a week, and it is just fine. Always be sure to store in the refrigerator.

Can You Freeze Banana Pudding Cheesecake

If you want your cheesecake to last longer, you can also freeze it. It will freeze well for around 3 months. To thaw simply keep in the refrigerator overnight. We love Cheesecake Factory, but this homemade version is a real show stopper for guests!

How To Ripen Bananas Quickly

This banana pudding cheesecake calls for 4 ripe bananas. That is perfect if you have over ripe bananas hanging out on the counter. But, what if your bananas are as green as my Sprite can? Fear not, I’ve got you covered.

a. Microwave (My favorite method): Poke holes in the banana peel and microwave for 30-60 seconds. Quick and recipe ready in no time!

b. Oven: The oven works great too. Bake at 300 degrees for about 20-30 minutes. This method works best with bananas that are already beginning to ripen, but are not speckled yet.

c. Paper Bag: If you plan ahead (well done you), you can also place the bananas in a paper lunch bag. To speed up the process, add another piece of fruit like an apple, or a pear. They will ripen in about 24-48 hours.

Also, many super markets have ripe bananas for sale at a bargain price.

What To Do With Ripe Bananas

Ripe bananas are great for desserts, and of course banana bread. Banana pudding or banana split cheesecakes are my 2 favorite uses.

I also love using them in my banana pudding poke cake. More of a pie fan? You’ll love my No Bake Banana Split Pie! Finally, they always go great in pancakes, “nice” cream, or even bread pudding if you’re feeling extra decadent.

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Banana Pudding Cheesecake

Author: Krystle

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American Southern

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 70 mins

Total time: 1 hour 30 mins

Serves: 10 Slices

Banana Pudding Cheesecake: Silky smooth banana cheesecake nestled inside a vanilla wafer crust. Tastes like banana pudding in cheesecake form!

Ingredients

2 Cups Crushed Vanilla Wafers (~60 wafers)
½ Cup (1 Stick) Butter, Melted
4 Large Ripe Bananas, Divided
1 Tablespoon Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
4 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract, Divided
4 (8 Ounce) Packages Cream Cheese, Softened
1 Cup White Sugar
4 Eggs
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
¼ Cup Powdered Sugar

Instructions

For the Vanilla Wafer Crust
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch cake or springform pan. Wrap the outsides with aluminum foil. Set aside.
Place ~60 vanilla wafers into a plastic bag. Finely crush with a rolling pin. In a medium bowl, combine wafter crumbs and melted butter.
Press vanilla wafer mixture evenly into pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.
For the Banana Pudding Cheesecake
In a small saucepan, mash bananas with a fork until smooth. Stir in brown sugar, and lemon juice. Cook for 3-5 minutes until sugar is melted and bananas are cooked. Remove from heat.
Stir in vanilla extract. Cool completely.
In a large bowl, stir cream cheese until light and fluffy. Cream in sugar until fully combined.
Stir in eggs and vanilla. Stir in banana mixture until just combined.
Evenly pour filling into prepared crust. Place cake pan into a roasting pan. Fill pan around halfway full with hot water.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-60 minutes or until the center is firm. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.
For the Topping
In a large chilled bowl, whip cream with a chilled whisk. Whisk until thickened. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip until soft peaks form.
Garnish with whipped cream, sliced banana, and vanilla wafers if desired.
Store in the refrigerator.