Banana Pudding Cheesecake
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This Banana Pudding Cheesecake has the best banana flavor without the addition of banana pudding mix! The filling is made with traditional cheesecake ingredients with the addition of pureed bananas. It rests on a vanilla wafer crust and is topped with whipped cream. It’s so good, that you’ll keep going back for more.
A banana cheesecake was the first cheesecake I had ever made. This was way back in the early 2000s before the blog ever existed. It came from a baking cookbook my grandmother had gifted me.
I took that concept to bring you today’s banana pudding cheesecake recipe. I used my very popular cheesecake and added pureed banana to the filling. I had to omit the sour cream because the banana puree was too wet and I wasn’t happy with the texture during the first round of testing.
I also swapped the graham cracker crust for Nilla wafers, then topped the cheesecake with whipped cream that is stabilized with a small amount of vanilla pudding mix. You can certainly skip the pudding mix and make my stabilized whipped cream instead. But I really like the extra vanilla flavor it offers.
I garnished the cheesecake with crushed Nilla wafers and slices of banana. The banana slices will turn brown as they sit so I would wait until the last minute to add them.
Why This Recipe Works
- 1 full cup of pureed bananas flavor the cheesecake. It’s just enough to give a subtle banana flavor. Traditional banana pudding is made with vanilla pudding and sliced bananas so it doesn’t taste too strongly of banana.
- My ratio of ingredients yields the creamiest cheesecake ever! Because of this, sour cream isn’t needed.
- A water bath is a must! It bakes up the most perfect cheesecake texture. I love these cheesecake pan wraps to prevent water from leaking in. You can also refer to my post that details the best way to make a cheesecake water bath.
Ingredients
For the ingredient measurements and the entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.
- Nilla wafers: These make up the base of the cheesecake. If you live somewhere that doesn’t have this type/brand of cookie, use graham crackers or ladyfingers instead.
- Sugar: Granulated white sugar is used for the crust and the filling.
- Butter: Unsalted sweet cream butter is what I always use.
- Cream cheese: You must use full-fat brick-style cream cheese. Low-fat or cream cheese in a tub will not work the same.
- Bananas: You need about 3 medium bananas for the filling and garnish.
- Eggs: Large eggs at room temperature will work best.
- Vanilla: I highly recommend pure vanilla extract. Not the imitation stuff. If you can, make vanilla extract at home.
- Heavy cream: Look for heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. Those are the same. Regular whipping cream will not whip up the same for the topping.
- Powdered sugar: Confectioners’ sugar is used in the topping to sweeten it.
- Vanilla pudding mix: You only need a tablespoon of the mix for the topping. This adds extra vanilla flavor and stabilizes the whipped cream.
Step by Step Directions
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the bottom of the blog post to the recipe card.
- Make the crust. Mix the cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter for the crust. Press it into the pan and bake for 10 minutes to set.
- Make the filling. Beat the cream cheese until creamy. Beat in the sugar followed by the pureed banana and vanilla.
- Use a silicone spatula to gently fold in the eggs.
- Pour the batter over the prepared crust and bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake sit with the door shut for another hour. Remove and cool to room temperature then refrigerate for at least 4 hours but overnight is best.
- Make the topping. Whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla pudding, and vanilla to stiff peaks. Spread over the cooled cheesecake. Garnish with crushed cookie crumbs and banana slices if desired.
Tips For Success
- Don’t skip the water bath! It is crucial for the creamy texture of the cheesecake.
- Try to avoid overbeating the eggs into the batter. Adding excess air will cause the cheesecake to crack. Gently fold them in and stop mixing once fully incorporated.
- Overbaking the cheesecake will yield a denser texture. Bake at a low temperature for 1 hour then allow the cheesecake to rest in the oven for another hour. This leftover residual heat will continue to “set” the filling as well as gradually cool down so the filling doesn’t crack.
FAQ
My favorited method is to use a cheesecake wrap. It’s a silicone wrap that fits around the pan. Water can not seep through when using one of these.
That’s okay. You can use graham crackers or ladyfingers.
The cheesecake will keep for up to 4 days covered and stored in the refrigerator.
Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2 cups (198 g) Nilla wafer crumbs
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Cheesecake
- 32 ounces (908 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 ⅓ cups (267 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (200 g) pureed bananas, about 2 medium bananas
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
For the Whipped Topping
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, cold
- ¼ cup (30 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant vanilla pudding mix
- Nilla wafer crumbs, roughly crushed, for garnish
- Banana slices, for garnish
Instructions
Make the Crust
- Move the oven rack to the lower third position and heat the oven to 350°F. Wrap the outer bottom of a 9-inch springform pan tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- Combine the Nilla wafer crumbs, sugar, and melted butter.
- Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and about 2-inches up the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. (If the crust bubbles up, gently press it back down.) Set aside to cool while you make the filling.
Make the Cheesecake
- Reduce the oven temperature to 300ºF.
- In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add the sugar and beat until well combined. Add the banana puree and vanilla, beat on low speed until smooth. Using a silicone spatula, gently stir in the eggs just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared crust.
- Fill a roasting pan with a few inches of boiling water and place the cheesecake in the center.
- Bake for 1 hour, until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly. Turn the oven off, leave the cheesecake in the water bath in the oven for another hour.
- Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place it on a wire rack. Run a small knife around the outer edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan and leave it to cool completely.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Make the Whipped Topping
- In a medium bowl, whip the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and pudding mix with an electric mixer on medium-low speed just until foamy.
- Turn the speed up to medium-high and continue to whip until the cream forms medium to stiff peaks.
- Remove the sides of the cheesecake pan and spread the topping over the cheesecake. Garnish with crushed Nilla wafers and banana slices if desired.
Notes
- You can line the inside bottom of the springform pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil if desired. It’s not completely necessary but does make it easier to clean the pan.
- Prevent a soggy cheesecake! Read my helpful tips for a leakproof water bath.
- Storage: The cheesecake will keep for up to 4 days covered and stored in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.