This creamy and fluffy banana pudding cheesecake is what dreams are made of! Carmalized bananas are infused in a creamy cheesecake, covered with vanilla pudding, bananas, and soft whipped cream. It´s suprisingly not too sweet, light yet rich in flavor. In other words, it´s absolutely delicious.
Banana Pudding Cheesecake Layers
This dreamy cheesecake is built with delicous layers of:
Graham cracker crust – Traditionally, banana pudding is made with Nila wafers. But if you do not have that, then graham crackers work perfectly fine!
Carmalized banana cheesecake – Bananas are carmalized with brown sugar to maximize the banana flavors in this cheesecake. The batter is made with philadelphia cheese and crème fraîche. The addition of crème fraîche is what makes this so light and bright.
Vanilla pudding – Since we are making a banana pudding cheesecake, it only makes sense to use instant vanilla mix. I like to add a dash of vanilla extract to the mix to enhance the flavors.
Sliced bananas – I have tried this recipe with sliced bananas that are then topped with the vanilla pudding. Another option is to mash the bananas into the vanilla pudding mixture. This could enhance the flavors of the bananas!
Whipped cream – The final layer is a soft whipped cream. It feels like taking a bite from a piece of a cloud! Top off with some crushed graham crackers or Nila wafers for some razzle dazzle!
Baking tips for successful Banana Pudding Cheesecake
- Room temperature ingredients – Always use room temperature ingredients as it not only affects the baking time, but this will also prevent any lumps from forming. I like to place my eggs in a bowl of warm water (not boiling) to gently bring them to room temperature.
- Mix on low – Mixing on a high speed would whip in more air into the batter, causing the cheesecake to crack in the oven.
- Prebake the crust – Always pre-bake the crust. This will ensure that we don´t have a soggy cheesecake base!
- Jiggle test – You´ll know that the cheesecake is ready when you gently nudge the springform and the center is slightly wobbly like jello. If it is more like liquid, then it is too soon to take out!
- Cooldown gently – This process will provide the cheesecake with the perfect texture while avoiding any cracks. Once the cheesecake is done baking, turn off the oven, crack a small opening on the oven door and let it cool down for about an hour.
Banana Pudding Cheesecake FAQs
Can I substitute the crème fraîche for sour cream?
Yes, you could substitute it in a 1:1 ration. However sour cream does contain less fat than crème fraîche. It is also less tangy and rich. While possible, I still highly recommend going for crème fraîche if you can as it will yield a creamier texture and the best cheesecake flavor overall!
How do I store the cheesecake?
I recommend saving the whipped cream topping for the same day that you are planning to serve it, as it is easier to store the cheesecake without a big pile of cream on top of it. In that case, cover it with a plastic wrap and store in the fridge. You could try storing it on a cake stand with a lid if you want to add the whipped cream in advance.
This cheesecake will keep for up to 1 week.
More of my favorite cheesecake recipes:
Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cheesecake crust
- 2 cups (200 g) Nila wafers or Graham Crackers
- 6 tbsp butter, melted
Banana Cheesecake
- 3 large eggs, room temperatured
- (4) 8 ounce (800 g) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, room temperatured
- 2/3 cup (140 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (500 g) crème fraîche
- 2 yellow bananas
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Banana Pudding Topping
- 1 yellow banana
- 1 1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding
- 2 cups whipped cream (around 40% fat)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 handful crushed Nila Wafers or Graham Crackers
Instructions
Carmalized Bananas
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the bananas lengthwise and put them on a lined baking sheet, skinside down.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar and turn the bananas, skinside up. Bake for 10 minutes or until the bananas are carmalized and the skins are black. Set aside for later.
Graham Cracker Crust
- Change the oven setting to 350℉ (180℃) and grease a 9'' (22 cm) springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Put the graham crackers or Nila wafers inside a freezer bag and tie up. Use a rolling pin to crumble the crackers into fine powder texture.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Take off the heat and combine with the crushed crackers.
- Pour the crumbs into the springform and press it tightly to form the crust.
- Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
Banana Cheesecake
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese on low speed until creamy.
- Add the crème fraîche and sugar while mixing on medium speed until smooth.
- Crack in one egg at the time, ensuring it gets incorporated between each egg.
- Scrape down the sides and mix in the vanilla and carmalized bananas on low speed.
- Pour the batter into the crust and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the cheesecake is not too jiggly in the center.
- Let the cheesecake come to room temperature before adding the toppings.
Banana Pudding Topping
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix according to its instructions.
- Mash one of the bananas and mix in with the pudding.
- Spread the banana pudding on top of the cheesecake. Chill for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
- Whip heavy cream with the vanilla and powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
- Top the cheesecake with a big dollop (or as much as desired) of the whipped cream.
- Crush a handful of Nila Wafers or Graham Crackers on top. Optionally, decorate with sliced bananas if the cheesecake will be eaten the same day, otherwise they might go dark and dry out.
- Slice and enjoy!