This Banana Pudding Cheesecake takes two of the best desserts in the world – pudding and cheesecake – and combines them into one creamy dish. It’s bursting with banana flavor, has a crunchy vanilla wafer crust, and is topped with fluffy swirls of whipped frosting.
A Banana Cheesecake to Rule Them All
If you like bananas, then this banana pudding cheesecake already has your name on it. This rich and velvety pudding cheesecake uses bananas in three different ways: with mashed bananas and banana pudding in the cake, and fresh bananas on top.
Instead of a traditional graham cracker crust, this cheesecake uses vanilla wafers, which perfectly complement the bananas. The crunch of the thick wafers and the smoothness of the pudding is an irresistible combination. Plus, this banana pudding cheesecake is easy to make … you’ll probably find yourself turning to it over and over again!
If you like this recipe then check out some of my other cheesecakes, like my Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust and my Oreo Cheesecake Cookie Cups.
Ingredients
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the exact quantities for all the ingredients.
For the Crust:
- Nilla wafer crumbs – You can use other brands of vanilla wafer cookies, but I prefer Nilla. You can also use graham cracker crumbs if you prefer a more traditional flavor.
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Melted butter
For the Cheesecake:
- Cream cheese
- Granulated sugar
- Heavy cream
- Mashed banana – For the best flavor, use a very ripe banana.
- Sour cream
- Lemon juice
- Vanilla extract – Be sure to use pure vanilla extract.
- Salt
- Eggs
- Instant banana cream pudding
- Cornstarch
For the Topping:
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Heavy cream
For the Garnish:
- Nilla wafers
- Banana slices – For the best texture, use a banana that’s ripe but still firm for the garnish.
Why Use Sour Cream?
The sour cream in the cheesecake might not be the most conventional ingredient, but it works really well. Not only is sour cream rich and decadent, but it has a lot of acidity. The acidity really enhances the flavor of the cream cheese. If you don’t want to use sour cream, you can substitute with plain or Greek yogurt.
Time to Make Banana Pudding Cheesecake!
This pudding cheesecake recipe has a lot of steps, but trust me when I say that it is worth it!
Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F, then use parchment paper to line the bottom and sides of a 9” springform cake pan. Spray the pan with baking spray.
Mix the crust. In a bowl, mix Nilla wafer crumbs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Stir in melted butter until the consistency is similar to wet sand.
Make the crust. Press the crust mixture into the bottom and sides of the cake pan, then bake it for 12 minutes. When it’s done baking, remove and let it cool on a wire rack.
Crank up the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 400F.
Make the cheesecake base. Put cream cheese and sugar in a stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment. Beat on high for 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth.
Add the flavorings. Put mashed banana, sour cream, heavy cream, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt in with the cream cheese mixture. Beat it in until everything is mixed together, about 30 to 45 seconds. Add the eggs and mix in.
Finish the cheesecake filling. Add banana cream pudding and cornstarch to the cheesecake filling, and mix until everything is combined. Pour the filling into the crust, and make sure the top is level.
Make a water bath. Wrap the bottom and sides of the cake pan with aluminum foil, and place it in a baking pan or broiler pan. Add 1 inch of warm or hot water to the pan.
Bake the cheesecake. Put the cheesecake in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 250F and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Rest in the oven. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside it for 30 minutes. Then open the oven door slightly, and let the cheesecake rest for another 30 minutes.
Cool and chill. Remove the cheesecake, take off the tin foil, and place the cake on a cooling rack. Let it fully cool, then place in the fridge for a minimum of 8 hours.
Beat the cream cheese. Place cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat until soft peaks have formed, about 2 minutes.
Whip the cream. In a separate stand mixer bowl, whip the heavy cream on high until stiff peaks have formed, about 3 or 4 minutes.
Make the topping. Add the cream cheese mixture to the whipped cream and fold it in with a rubber spatula. Put the topping in a piping bag.
Frost the cheesecake. Remove the banana pudding cheesecake from the springform cake pan, and pipe the frosting in swirls around the top edge.
Garnish. Sprinkle the top of the cheesecake with vanilla wafer cookie pieces and banana slices, then serve.
Tips for a Perfect Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Here are a few tricks and tips to make sure that this mouth-watering dessert comes out perfectly every time you make it.
- Don’t overmix. Be sure to not mix the batter too much. Overmixing will result in excess air in the batter, which will lead to cracking when you bake the cheesecake.
- Scrape the bowl. When you’re making the filling, be diligent about scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula. It’s important to get the cream cheese and sugar fully mixed together, so that there aren’t any lumps.
- Don’t skip on chilling. Make sure that you chill the cheesecake for at least 8 hours before serving, so that it can finish setting up. Serve the cheesecake straight from the fridge for the best texture.
How Long Does Banana Pudding Cheesecake Last in the Fridge?
This cheesecake recipe will last for 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. If possible, store it without toppings, as the bananas will brown in the fridge, and the wafers will get a little soggy.
Can I Freeze This?
Yes! Wrap the banana pudding cheesecake in two layers of saran wrap, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before eating.
Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 3 ½ cups crushed Nilla wafer crumbs
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
- ⅓ cup melted butter
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- ¾ cup mashed banana
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 1 3.4- ounce box instant banana cream pudding
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
For the Topping
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
For the Garnish
- Nilla wafers
- Banana slices
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9” springform pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray. Set aside.
- Start by making the crust. Mix the Nilla wafer crumbs, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a medium sized bowl. Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Press the crust into the bottom and sides of the springform pan in a thick, even layer. Place the pan into the oven to bake for 12 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a cooling rack to cool while you make the cheesecake batter.
- Increase the oven temperature to 400°F.
- To make the cheesecake batter, start by placing the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat together on high speed for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl down intermittently with a rubber spatula.
- Add the heavy cream, mashed banana, sour cream, lime juice, vanilla and salt to the bowl and beat together for 30-45 seconds or until well incorporated. Next, add in the eggs and mix until incorporated, about 15 seconds.
- Lastly, add the banana cream pudding and cornstarch. Mix just until incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan on top of the crust. Smooth out.
- Wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan with tin foil to prevent water from seeping in. Place the springform pan into a larger baking pan or broiler pan. Fill the broiler pan with 1” warm water to create a water bath.
- Place the pans into the oven to bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temp to 250°F and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Once baked, turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in with the door closed to rest for 30 minutes. Prop the oven door open slightly and let the cheesecake rest for another 30 minutes.
- Once rested, remove the cheesecake from the oven, unwrap the tin foil and place the pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cool, cover and place into the fridge to chill for at least 8 hours.
- To make the whipped frosting, start by placing the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat together on high speed for 2 minutes or until soft peaks have formed. Scrape the sides of the bowl down intermittently to ensure everything gets mixed in. Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a separate bowl.
- Add the heavy cream to the stand mixer bowl. Use a whisk attachment to whip the heavy cream at high speed for 3-4 minutes or until stiff peaks have formed. Once stiff peaks have formed, add the cream cheese mixture and use a rubber spatula to fold the two together until smooth. Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice.
- Once the cheesecake has chilled, release the springform and remove the pan sides from the cheesecake. Pipe the frosting on in swirls around the top edge of the cheesecake.
- Sprinkle vanilla wafer cookie pieces on then top with fresh banana slices. Slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
More Decadent Cheesecake Recipes
- Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
- Easy Eggnog Cheesecake
- Best Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Bananas Foster Cheesecake
- Almond Amaretto Cheesecake
- Instant Pot Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
- Creme Brûlée Cheesecake
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