Description
Creamy banana pudding cheesecake blends Southern comfort with classic dessert elegance. Smooth banana-infused layers promise rich indulgence that celebrates traditional flavors while delighting taste buds.
Ingredients
Scale
- 32 oz (907 g) full-fat block cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 medium bananas (1–2 for base, 2 for roasting)
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) Nilla Wafer crumbs (32–34 cookies)
- 8 oz (226 g) full-fat sour cream, room temperature
- 4 tbsps (56 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup (240 ml) cold milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp (13 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ½ tbsp (6 g) granulated sugar
- ½ box instant vanilla pudding
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Caramelization: Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice bananas lengthwise, dust with brown sugar, and roast on parchment-lined sheet for 10 minutes until golden. Mash roasted bananas and cool completely.
- Crust Preparation: Lower oven to 325°F. Pulverize vanilla wafers into fine crumbs, mix with sugar and melted butter. Press firmly into 9-inch springform pan and bake for 10 minutes, then cool.
- Batter Creation: Blend cream cheese and sugar until silky. Fold in sour cream, roasted banana mash, and vanilla extract. Incorporate eggs individually, ensuring smooth integration.
- Layer Assembly: Distribute one-third of cheesecake batter over crust. Arrange thin banana slices evenly, then gently cover with remaining batter.
- Baking Process: Position springform pan in larger roasting pan. Fill outer pan with hot water halfway up cheesecake sides. Bake 70-85 minutes until center is set but slightly trembling.
- Pudding and Topping: Prepare instant vanilla pudding with whole milk and chill. Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until medium-stiff peaks form.
- Finishing Touch: Once cheesecake is completely cooled, spread chilled pudding evenly across surface. Pipe or spread whipped cream on top. Optional: Garnish with banana slices and crushed wafers.
Notes
- Roast Bananas Carefully: Caramelizing bananas intensifies their natural sweetness and adds depth to the cheesecake’s flavor profile, so watch them closely during roasting to prevent burning.
- Prevent Cheesecake Cracking: Create a water bath by placing the springform pan in a larger roasting pan filled with hot water to ensure even baking and prevent surface cracks.
- Chill Completely: Allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to set properly and develop optimal texture and flavor.
- Wafer Crust Tips: Crush vanilla wafers finely and press the crust mixture firmly and evenly to create a stable, crisp base that complements the creamy cheesecake filling.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg