Bananas Foster Cheesecake

Brown sugar and butter caramelized bananas, swirled with vanilla cheesecake, over a Nilla wafer cookie crust!

I spent most of last weekend brainstorming fall recipes. As I was looking at the final list to figure out what will make the cut, I noticed a recurring theme. Besides pumpkin, everything was cheesecake. So many cheesecakes. Not abnormal either since it’s probably the type of dessert that I have most of on the blog. We are cheesecake people.

But if I really have as many cheesecakes on tap for fall as I think I do, then I’d better share this one to get it out of the way. I don’t want to OD people on any one single type of dessert. Although, can you really ever tire of cheesecake? Just in case….

This is like banana pudding in cheesecake form. You know that age-old banana pudding recipe? This is like that, but in a cheesecake. Except, the bananas are caramelized. So it’s also like bananas foster in a cheesecake. You sort of get both desserts in your cheesecake.

Nilla wafers, butter, and sugar come together for a sweet vanilla cookie-like crust. It’s the perfect crust for this cheesecake, far better than shortbread or graham cracker crust would be, because it gives this cheesecake all the banana pudding feels.

I caramelized bananas in butter and brown sugar. The bananas are SO GOOD, you’ll be lucky if any of them make it into the cheesecake. If you ever wanted to know what you should take to a desert island to eat for the rest of your life, it’s caramelized bananas. Just a big vat of them, and a spoon. Really.

My favorite cheesecake base, ultra creamy and rich, is swirled with the caramelized bananas. Baked and topped with whipped cream and a little caramel sauce.

Like banana pudding and bananas foster, but in cheesecake form, and substantially elevated, at that.

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Bananas Foster Cheesecake

Brown sugar and butter caramelized bananas, swirled with vanilla cheesecake, over a Nilla wafer cookie crust!

Course Cheesecake

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 10 -12 servings

Author Sarah @ The Gold Lining Girl

Ingredients

For crust:

• 2 c. finely crushed Nilla wafers or shortbread cookies
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 6 tbsp. butter melted

For bananas foster:

• 3 medium ripe bananas diced
• 2 tbsp. packed light brown sugar
• 3 tbsp. butter

For cheesecake:

• 3 - 8 oz. packages reduced-fat cream cheese softened
• 1 c. sugar
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tbsp. coffee liqueur
• whipped cream
• caramel ice cream sauce optional garnish

Instructions

For crust:

1. In a medium bowl, combine Nilla wafer crumbs, sugar, and butter, stirring until well-blended.
2. Press into the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan.

For bananas foster:

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine bananas, brown sugar, and butter.
2. Cook and stir until butter and sugar are melted, and the mixture begins to simmer, about 3 minutes. Bananas will start to become slightly translucent, but you do not want them overly soft and mushy.
3. Remove from heat, and set aside.

For cheesecake:

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Add vanilla and coffee liqueur.
4. Pour half of the cheesecake batter over the crust.
5. Spoon 1/3 of the bananas foster over the cheesecake batter, and swirl lightly with a knife.
6. Pour remaining cheesecake batter into the springform pan.
7. Spoon with remaining bananas foster mixture, and swirl lightly with a knife.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until the edges are golden, and the center is mostly set.
9. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Top with whipped cream and caramel sauce.