Description
Southern cooks adore this banana pudding crunch cheesecake that blends creamy cheesecake with classic Southern dessert charm. Rich layers of banana, vanilla wafers, and silky cream create a delightful dessert you’ll savor to the last delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ripe bananas, sliced
- 24 oz (680 g) cream cheese, softened
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups (240 g) crushed vanilla wafers
- 2 cups (480 ml) cold milk
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) sour cream
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tbsps (45 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 package (3.4 oz/96 g) instant banana pudding mix
- ½ cup (120 g) mashed ripe bananas (about 1 large banana)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- whipped cream (optional)
- additional vanilla wafers (optional)
- banana slices (optional)
Instructions
- Crust Formation: Pulverize vanilla wafers and meld with melted butter, pressing firmly into a springform pan’s base. Toast at 325F for 5-7 minutes to enhance structural integrity and develop a golden, crisp foundation.
- Cheesecake Composition: Whip cream cheese and sugar until supremely smooth. Methodically integrate eggs, vanilla, mashed bananas, sour cream, and heavy cream. Blend until achieving a uniform, silky consistency without overmixing.
- Baking Technique: Pour cheesecake batter evenly over prepared crust, positioning on a protective baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven, monitoring for a subtle central jiggle indicating optimal doneness. Execute a gradual cooling process within the oven to prevent surface fracturing.
- Pudding and Fruit Layer: Prepare banana pudding by whisking with cold milk. Once cheesecake is completely chilled, spread pudding generously across the surface. Arrange fresh banana slices in an aesthetically pleasing pattern.
- Crunchy Embellishment: Combine crushed vanilla wafers with brown sugar and melted butter to create a textural topping. Distribute this crumbly mixture evenly across the pudding layer, introducing a caramelized crunch.
- Final Presentation: Crown the dessert with voluminous whipped cream, strategically placed whole vanilla wafers, and additional banana slices. Refrigerate thoroughly to allow flavors to harmonize and set completely.
Notes
- Prevent Crust Crumbling: Compress wafer mixture tightly into pan to ensure a stable, compact base that won’t fall apart when serving.
- Avoid Cheesecake Cracks: Bake in water bath or gradually cool inside oven to minimize surface fractures and maintain smooth texture.
- Balance Banana Intensity: Use ripe, but not overripe bananas to achieve optimal sweetness without overwhelming moisture.
- Customize Texture: Replace vanilla wafers with gluten-free alternatives for celiac-friendly version, maintaining the recipe’s signature crunch.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 472
- Sugar: 39 g
- Sodium: 341 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg