Banana pudding cheesecake

Sharing is caring!

This Banana Pudding Cheesecake is really a show stopper.  It’s absolutely delicious, and is sure to please any dessert lover at your table.  Its thick and rich, and yet light enough to melt in your mouth.  It’s got a sweet crunchy graham cracker crust, thick cheesecake complete with mashed bananas and pudding, vanilla wafers around the edge, then topped with piped whipped topping, more banana slices, more pudding and more vanilla wafers. 

This one is sure to become a favorite, and it can be served for any occasion.  Trust me, keep this one in your favorites!

Ingredients:

CRUST:

• 1 1/2 packages of graham crackers – pulsed into crumbs
• 1 Tablespoon of sugar
• 6 Tablespoons of Butter – melted

FILLING:

• 4 – 8 ounce packages of cream cheese – softened
• 1/4 cup of sour cream
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups of Sugar
• 1/4 cup of flour
• 1 Tablespoon of Vanilla
• 2 ripe banana’s – mashed
• Jello brand Banana pudding – 6.3 ounce box -SEE INSTRUCTIONS
• 2 cups of milk
• 1 box of Vanilla Wafers

TO TOP:

• Vanilla Wafers
• 1 12 ounce container of Cool Whip – placed in the refrigerator to thaw
• 1 Banana sliced
• Banana pudding

COOKS TOOLS NEEDED:

• 8 inch FAT DADDIO’S Spring form pan -SEE LINK
• Stand mixer
• piping bag
• large fluted or star piping tip
• Spatulas
• Parchment paper

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cut the Parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan.  Using a brush, brush the inside of the Spring-form pan with softened butter, bottom and sides.  Place the Parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, over the butter, and set aside.  

In a food processor, place the graham crackers, and pulse into crumbs.  Add the sugar and pulse to blend.  Pour the crumbs into a bowl and add the butter and stir well to coat. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan, using a spoon to smooth the crumbs.  Place Vanilla wafers along the sides of the pan, sitting them upright on the crust. 

In a bowl, place the ripe Banana’s, and mash until smooth. 

In a bowl, add the pudding mix, and the 2 cups of Milk, and blend with a small whisk or large spoon until completely blended, smooth and creamy.  Make sure all the pudding is well mixed into the milk, and there are no lumps.  Place in the refrigerator.

In the Mixing bowl of a stand mixer, place the softened cream cheese, and the sour cream, and mix until smooth and creamy.  Add the Sugar, and blend until smooth.  Add the eggs, and blend just until mixed.  Add the Vanilla, mashed banana’s and the flour, and mix until blended together. 

Pour half of the Cheesecake batter into the Spring-form pan.  Remove the pudding from the refrigerator, and add half of the pudding to the Cheesecake. Gently swirl into batter, but don’t scrape the crust.  Add the remaining Cheesecake batter, filling the pan.

Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.  On the bottom rack, place a large pan of water – a 9 X 13 dish would work, or a broiler pan, just make sure it’s positioned underneath the Cheesecake.  Place the Cheesecake in the oven, at 325 degrees, for 1 hour.  Don’t open the door on the oven.  When the hour is up, turn off the oven, and leave the Cheesecake in the oven for another hour, then remove the Cheesecake from the oven to a wire rack to cool completely.  When the Cheesecake is cooled, cover the top with Parchment Paper, and then in foil.  Place in the refrigerator overnight, and for 24 hours if possible; chilling it for 24 hours will make sure it is set firm.

TO TOP:

I would do this early if you’re having guests, or family for dinner, brunch, or just because.  This takes about half a hour, and it’s gorgeous when finished.  Start by removing the spring-form from the pan.  Run a thin blade of a knife gently around the edge, between the spring-form pan, and the Cheesecake before removing the spring-form. 

Once you’ve loosened the Cheesecake and removed the Spring-form, place the Cheesecake on a Cake stand, or Cake plate, or if you choose, you can leave the Cheesecake on the bottom of the spring-form pan, and serve that way.   Next, place the piping tip in a large pastry bag, and then place the Cool Whip in the pastry bag.  Pipe big dollops of the Cool Whip all around the top edge of the Cheesecake.  Fill the center of the Cheesecake with sliced banana’s and cover the slices with about half of the Banana pudding.

Place Vanilla wafers on top of the pudding, and cover the Vanilla wafers with the remaining pudding.  Pipe a huge dollop of the Cool Whip in the center of the Cheesecake, and place Vanilla wafer between the dollops around the edge of the Cheesecake.  Place the Cheesecake back in the refrigerator until time to serve.  Cut into 2 – 3 inch pieces, serve, and enjoy!

Makes 8 to 10 servings

NOTE:  I used really ripe Banana’s.  They’re sweeter, and the flavor is better.  They had black spots on them and were a little soft.  It makes the flavor of the cheesecake really wonderful!   ALSO:  the ‘FAT DADDIO’S’ Spring-form pan is absolutely fabulous to bake in.  It makes the Cheesecake thicker and taller than other pans, as it’s a little over 3 inches in height, plus the base.  You’ll love this pan for baking.