Baked Banana Pudding Cheesecake
This baked banana pudding cheesecake is the perfect addition to any dessert table! This recipe combines two widely-loved classics – decadent banana pudding and velvety cheesecake, into a decadent dessert that’ll have your guests coming back for seconds – even thirds! I debuted this stunner as my Thanksgiving recipe and my family literally couldn’t stay away!
A lusciously creamy banana-flavored cheesecake topped with a layer of family-favorite banana pudding and a light stabilized whipped cream all cradled in a Nilla wafer crust.
Good luck trying save leftovers – this cheesecake will be the star of your next gathering and a guaranteed holiday recipe hit!
ingredients
- Cream cheese. A creamy cheese with the perfect balance of fat & moisture for optimal flavor and texture
- Whole Eggs. Act as a binding agent ensuring fats don’t separate.
- Egg Yolk. Used in the custard for the banana pudding as a thickening agent and richness
- Granulated sugar. Enhances the cream cheese natural sweetness.
- Sour cream. Adds a tangy flavor that isn’t too overpowering to complement the cream cheese and bananas
- Ripe Bananas. Delicate yet potent flavor – pairing perfectly with the cheesecake and a classic with the pudding
- All-purpose flour. Another binding agent. It also acts as another thickening agent in the banana pudding’s custard
- Heavy Cream. Helps to balance the distinct tart flavor of the cream cheese
- Vanilla Wafer Cookies. The classic pairing for banana pudding – used in the crust and the layered topping
- Unsalted butter. Improves the flavor of the crust and makes the texture more cohesive
- Gelatin. Used as a stabilizer in the whipped cream allowing it to hold its shape once whipped
How to make the perfect banana pudding cheesecake
1. Cut out a parchment circle with tabs to place in the bottom of your springform pan. This will help in easily transferring the cheesecake if you will want it displayed on a cake stand or other plate.
2. Prepare your springform pan for the water bath by placing it in an oven bag and securing it to the top of the pan with kitchen twine.
3. Press the prepared vanilla wafer cookie crust into the bottom of the spring form pan with a flat-surfaced object like a bowl, glass or measuring cup. For an added aesthetic effect, arrange whole vanilla wafers along the inside of pan.
4. Pour the cheesecake filling into your crust. Although the filling will generally level out during baking, overt lop-sidedness will result in an uneven cheesecake.
5. Place in a water bath to bake making sure to choose a pan that allows for at least an inch of space.
6. Bake low and slow in your water bath for 2 hours and 10 minutes at 250 °F and allow it to come to room temperature in the oven. The low baking temperature and slow cooling helps to prevent any cracks in the cheesecake and keeps the texture smooth and creamy.
7. Pipe a whipped cream border around the cheesecake to hold the banana pudding topping. If you choose to forego the whipped cream the pudding may drip down the sides -lending to more rustic look.
8. Refrigerate the banana pudding cheesecake for at least 6 hours – this gives the cheesecake time to set and the vanilla wafer cookies time to soften into cake-like bites!
more tips for the perfect banana pudding cheesecake
- Use an oven thermometer. I recommend one for all my recipes for the best outcome since it takes out the guess work! There can be hotspots in your oven or it can generally run higher (or lower) than the actual display reading.
- Use oven bags for your water bath. There are plenty of ways to prepare a pan for a water bath but an oven bag, unlike the foil method, provides the most seamless option by removing the the risk of any leaks that could cause a soggy-crusted cheesecake!
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of your mixing bowl before adding new ingredients. This ensures that there are no lumps in the cheesecake batter and that the finished texture is evenly smooth!
- A perfectly done cheesecake will jiggle slightly – like Jell-o when it is fresh out of the oven and the texture should feel spongy. If the movement is more like a wave, the cheesecake needs more time in the oven.
- For best results with the stabilized whipped cream, add in gelatin while it is still warm, not hot – a drop should feel comfortable on the back of your hand.
- If you plan to arrange the vanilla wafers in a pattern that overlaps for an aesthetic effect spritz or brush the final layer with 2-3 tablespoons of water to help soften the cookies.
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with large bowl with whisk & flat beater attachment
- 1 small saucepan
- 1 piping bag with your choice of piping tip only needed if using stabilized whipped cream
- 1 9-inch springform pan a regular baking pan may be used but transfer will be trickier
- 1 large pan for water bath at least 2 inches larger than baking pan to allow for enough space
- 1 oven safe bag
- kitchen twine for securing oven bag to springform pan
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling
- 32 oz cream cheese (4 blocks)
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs separate 1 egg and set the yolk aside for the pudding topping
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 medium banana, pureed very ripe
- 2 TBSP all-purpose flour
- 3 TBSP heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cheesecake Crust
- 1½ cups vanilla wafer cookies, crushed (140g)
- 4 TBSP granulated sugar
- 4½ TBSP unsalted butter, melted
Banana Pudding Custard Topping
- 5 oz evaporated milk
- 1 large egg yolk from prior separated egg
- ¼ cup + 1TBSP granulated sugar
- 1 TBSP all-purpose flour
- 1 medium banana
- vanilla wafer cookies for layering and arranging on top
Stabilized Whipped Cream (Optional)
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup confectioner's sugar
- ¾ tsp powdered gelatin
- 1 TBSP cold water
Instructions
Vanilla Wafer Crust
- Mix all crust ingredients in a bowl until there are no dry spots then press into the bottom of springform pan in an even layer.
- Line whole vanilla wafers along the sides of the springform pan for a decorative effect.
- Prepare springform pan for the water bath by placing it in an oven bag and then using kitchen twine to secure the bag to the the top of the pan, sealing it and preventing any water from entering.
Cheesecake Filling
- Preheat your oven to 250℉
- Add cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until fluffy and smooth (about 2 minutes)
- Of the 5 eggs, separate one and set aside the yolk to use in the pudding topping
- After setting one egg yolk aside, add the rest of the eggs (4 whole and one egg white) to the mixing bowl and beat again until completely smooth making sure to scrape down the bottom of the bowl so that there are no lumps.
- Add the sour cream, pureed banana, heavy cream and all-purpose flour to the mixing bowl and beat again until incorporated.
- Pour the cheesecake filling into your prepared springform pan.
- Prepare a water bath by placing the springform pan into a larger, oven-safe pan allowing for at least 1-inch of space around. Pour hot water into the larger pan until halfway up the outside of the springform pan. Be careful not to spill any water in the springform pan.
- Bake the cheesecake in the water bath for 2 hours & 15 minutes at 250℉ or until it is set with a slight jiggle.
- Once done, turn the oven off and allow the cheesecake to rest in the oven until cool enough to handle or at room temperature
Banana Pudding Custard Topping
- Whisk evaporated milk, egg yolk (set aside from earlier), granulated sugar & all-purpose flour in a small saucepan until there are no lumps
- While whisking constantly to avoid lumps, heat over medium to medium-high heat until thickened. This should take 3-5 minutes
- Set aside until you are ready to assemble the cheesecake, covering with plastic wrap and pressing it to the surface to avoid a "skin" from forming
Optional Whipped Cream Topping
- Add the cold water to a small microwave-safe bowl and bloom the gelatin by sprinkling it on top of the water then allowing it to sit for 5 minutes.
- Microwave the gelatin until melted (about 10 seconds) then allow to cool for about 2-3minutes or until a drop is comfortable on the back of your hand
- Add heavy whipping cream & confectioner's sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip on high speed until soft peaks form.
- Set mixer to high again and whip, drizzling in the melted gelatin. Continue to whip on high speed until stiff peaks form and whipped cream holds its' shape.
- Transfer to a piping bag with your choice of a piping tip and set aside for assembly.
Assembly
- If using whipped cream, pipe a border along the top of the cheesecake to act as a well.
- Start layering the banana pudding on top of the cheesecake, starting with vanilla wafer cookies then sliced bananas and pudding.
- Add a final layer of vanilla wafers on top then refrigerate for at least 6 hours (allowing the cheesecake to set and the cookies to soften) before serving.
