Banana Pudding Cheesecake

Every year for Taylor's birthday I make him a new kind of cheesecake. So far, every year has been a success. It is so much fun to do and I anticipate it probably just as much as he does. :)

This year was a toss up between banana pudding cheesecake [Tay loves banana pudding cake] or chocolate raspberry cheesecake [can't ever go wrong there]. I chose banana pudding cheesecake because it's different and sounded delicious and like I said, Taylor loves banana pudding cake.

Two years ago I made him a snickers cheesecake... the recipe and pictures are still in a draft on my blog.. one day I'll post it. It was SO good!!! Last year I made a beer cheesecake for his beer tasting party. Fun, delicious times!

This recipe was very very easy. One of the more "easier" cheesecakes I've made. I followed this lady's recipe pretty much to the t.

Banana Pudding Cheesecake 
Recipe by Sabor Pastel

Ingredients
1 box vanilla wafers 
3 bananas [2 ripe, 1 yellow]
1/2 stick of butter
2- 8oz cream cheese
1 cup whipping cream
4 eggs
sugar
vanilla extract

Recipe-- 

For the crust:
4 oz vanilla wafers [I got one box of vanilla wafers and split it up as I went thru the recipe. I didn't weigh or measure out exactly 4 oz or 2.5 oz. Just eye ball it].
4 Tablespoons butter

1. Using a food processor, pulse the cookies until they turn into a fine crumb. Add the butter and pulse until a dough is formed.
2. I took the butter wrapper and rubbed it in the pan before spreading the mix in. Spread the cookies in the bottom of a 8 inch springform pan. Refrigerate the crust while making the batter.

For the batter:
2 ripe bananas
2- 8oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2.5 vanilla wafers, again eye ball it

1. Preheat the oven to 320 degrees.
2. In a stand up mixer with the whisk attachment, combine the cream cheese and the mashed bananas. Beat for 3 minutes.
3. Add in the sugar, beating another 3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time. Making sure it's completely mixed before adding each addition. Add vanilla extract.
5. Crumble the cookies with your hands and fold them into the batter.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until cake appears set, with the center jiggling only a little. Let the cake cool in the turned-off oven.

For the topping:
1 yellow banana
2.5 oz vanilla wafers
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar
vanilla wafers for garnish

1. Slice the banana and distribute it on one layer on top of the cooled cake. Place the cookies on top of bananas.
2. Mix the cream and sugar until it forms stiff peaks. Spread it on top of the cake.
3. Top with additional crumbled cookies. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 6 hours) before cutting. I didn't read this part until the cake was done and Taylor was 45 minutes from being off work. So I placed ours in the the fridge until he got home then in the freezer over dinner. It cut just fine and was delicious!! 

top view 

If you make this, you won't be sorry. It is so good!

Enjoy :)