Banana Pudding Cheesecake
This banana pudding cheesecake combines the best of both worlds. A silky smooth cheesecake sitting on top of a Nilla wafer crust, with bananas, vanilla pudding, and whipped cream. It’s everything you want from both desserts in a single slice, and it might just become your new go to.
Why you’ll love this Banana Pudding Cheesecake
- The Best Of Both Worlds: This recipe combines two classic desserts into one. A creamy, tangy cheesecake meets sweet, nostalgic banana pudding for the most indulgent treat you’ll ever make.
- Buttery Nilla Wafer Crust: The crust comes together with crushed nilla wafers and butter, baking up into a flavorful base that holds everything together.
- Banana Flavor Throughout: Mashed bananas are mixed into the cheesecake batter itself, giving every bite that classic banana pudding flavor. Once baked, fresh banana slices are layered on top of the cheesecake.
- A Thick Layer Of Vanilla Pudding: Smooth vanilla pudding is spread generously over the cheesecake, adding another layer of flavor that ties everything together.
- Topped With A Generous Swirl Of Whipped Cream: A fluffy layer of whipped cream finishes everything off, adding lightness and the perfect creamy contrast to the rich layers below.
- A Showstopping Dessert: With layers of cheesecake, pudding, banana, and whipped cream, this dessert looks just as good as it tastes.
Tips for the Best Cheesecake
Take your ingredients out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking: Make sure your cream cheese, eggs, and heavy cream are at room temperature before starting. This helps everything blend easily, giving you a smooth batter with no lumps.
Don’t overmix after adding the eggs: Overmixing incorporates air into the batter so it’s important to stop mixing once you can’t see anymore egg streaks.
Wrap the pan in foil: Tightly wrap the outside of your springform pan with foil to keep water from seeping in while baking.
Tap it on the counter: Once your cheesecake batter is in the pan, give it a few taps on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles.
Don’t overbake: Bake at 325°F for 55-60 minutes, until the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly.
Cool it in the oven: When the cheesecake is done baking, turn off the oven and leave the door slightly cracked open for 1 hour. This allows the cheesecake to slowly cool down to room temperature and helps prevent cracks.
Chill overnight: Refrigerate your cheesecake overnight to let it fully set. It’s worth the wait!
Ingredients you’ll need
For the Nilla Wafer Crust:
- Nilla wafers
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted Butter
For the Banana Cheesecake:
- Cream cheese
- Granulated sugar
- Ripe bananas
- Heavy cream
- Fresh lemon juice
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
For the Topping:
- Instant vanilla pudding mix
- Milk
- Heavy cream
- Powdered sugar
- Bananas
- Nilla wafers
Baking cheesecake in a Water Bath
When you bake a cheesecake in a water bath, the steam from the hot water surrounds the pan and keeps the oven environment extra humid. This keeps the edges from drying out, prevents cracks, and allows the cheesecake to set slowly, giving it that creamy texture throughout. Here’s how to do it:
- Wrap the outside of your springform pan in 3-4 layers of aluminum foil, making sure it goes all the way up the sides. This is a super important step to make sure the water doesn’t leak into the crust.
- Place the springform pan in a large baking dish. Carefully pour hot water into the baking dish filling it halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
- The steam from the water helps the cheesecake bake slowly and evenly!
Recipe Q&A
Q: How do I prevent cracks in my cheesecake?
A: A few things help here. Make sure your cream cheese, eggs, and other ingredients are at room temperature before mixing, and avoid overmixing once the eggs go in, since extra air in the batter can cause cracks as it bakes. Baking at a lower temperature and using a water bath also helps the cheesecake cook evenly. Once it’s done, let it cool gradually in the oven with the door cracked open before moving it to the fridge, since sudden temperature changes can cause cracking too.
Q: Does the type of cream cheese matter?
A: It does. We always go with Philadelphia full fat cream cheese, it just gives the best flavor and texture out of anything we’ve tried.
Q: My bananas aren’t ripe enough, how can I quickly ripen them?
A: If your bananas aren’t quite ripe enough for the batter, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 300°F for 15-20 minutes, until the skins turn dark and the bananas soften. Let them cool before mashing them into the batter, just like you would for banana bread.
Q: Can I make this cheesecake ahead of time?
A: Yes! The cheesecake layer can be made a day or two in advance and stored in the fridge. Just wait to add the banana slices, pudding, and whipped cream until you’re ready to serve so everything stays fresh.
Q: How do I store leftovers?
A: Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. The banana slices may brown over time, so it’s best enjoyed within the first day or two.
Watch how we made it:
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Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Ingredients
Nilla Wafer Crust
- 1 1/2 cups crushed Nilla wafers
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
Banana Cheesecake
- 32 oz softened cream cheese (4, 8oz blocks)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 ripe bananas mashed
- 1/2 cup heavy cream room temperature*
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 4 eggs room temperature
Vanilla Pudding
- 3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups cold milk
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar*
Topping
- 2 bananas sliced
- a handful of whole and crushed Nilla wafers
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan in 3-4 layers of aluminum foil, making sure it goes all the way up the sides.
- In a bowl, combine the Nilla wafers, sugar, and melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325℉.
For the Banana Cheesecake
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and no lumps remain. Scrape down the bowl.
- Add the mashed bananas, heavy cream, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition. Mix just until no egg streaks remain.
- Pour the batter over the cooled crust. Bake the cheesecake in a water bath by placing the pan in a large baking dish. Carefully pour hot water into the baking dish filling it halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
- Bake at 325℉ for 55-60 minutes until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly.
- Once the cheesecake is done baking, don't take it out of the oven! Turn off the oven and crack the door open slightly (you can use a wooden spoon to prop it). Let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 1 hour.
- After that, take it out and let it sit at room temperature for another hour. Then refrigerate it for at least 6 hours, but overnight is best for a fully set texture. Make sure the cheesecake has fully cooled to room temperature before placing it in the fridge.
To Assemble
- Whisk together the vanilla pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes. Set aside while you make the whipped cream.
- In a bowl, whisk the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Carefully release the cheesecake from the springform pan. Layer the bananas on top of the baked cheesecake in a single layer, followed by a handful of crushed Nilla wafers. Spread the vanilla pudding on top, followed by the whipped cream. Top with more banana slices and Nilla wafers.
10/10 all of my family loved it! Followed it to a T except the end. I left the cheesecake out on my stove to cool overnight (I was baking at 10pm lol) and put it in the fridge the next morning. No cracks. Assembled before serving. Also, first time making a cheesecake! Recipe is highly recommended!
So happy everyone loved it! Thank you for trying it out! <3
How ripe should the bananas be?
The bananas should be very ripe, bright yellow with plenty of brown spots. If your bananas aren’t ripe enough, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 300°F for 15-20 minutes. Let them cool completely before mashing them into the batter.