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Banana Cream Cheesecake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 97 reviews

This Banana Cream Cheesecake is a luscious dessert featuring a crunchy vanilla wafer crust, a rich banana-flavored cream cheese filling, and a smooth Bavarian cream topping. Decorated with whipped cream swirls and fresh banana slices, it’s a perfect blend of creamy textures and banana goodness, baked in a water bath to ensure a crack-free, silky finish.

Ingredients

Scale

Crust

  • 2 1/4 cups (302g) vanilla wafer crumbs
  • 10 tbsp (140g) salted butter, melted
  • 3 tbsp (39g) sugar

Cheesecake Filling

  • 24 ounces (678g) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup (207g) sugar
  • 3 tbsp (24g) all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup (58g) sour cream, room temperature
  • 4 tsp banana extract
  • 1 cup (240ml) pureed banana (2 medium sized bananas)
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature

Bavarian Cream

  • 1 tsp powdered gelatin
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) milk
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tbsp (26g) sugar
  • 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp banana extract
  • 2/3 cup (160ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 5 tbsp (36g) powdered sugar

Whipped Cream Topping

  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Fresh sliced bananas for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prepare the crust: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Line the bottom of a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides. In a small bowl, mix the vanilla wafer crumbs, melted salted butter, and sugar until combined. Press this mixture evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
  2. Set up for water bath: Cover the outside of the springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping in during the baking process. Set aside.
  3. Adjust oven temperature: Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (148°C) for baking the cheesecake.
  4. Make the cheesecake batter: In a large bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese, sugar, and flour on low speed until smooth and well combined to avoid incorporating too much air. Scrape down the bowl sides. Add sour cream and banana extract, mixing on low until combined. Then add the pureed bananas and mix thoroughly. Incorporate the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly and scraping the bowl to ensure an even blend.
  5. Assemble and bake the cheesecake: Pour the cheesecake batter onto the cooled crust in the springform pan. Place this pan inside a larger pan and pour warm water into the larger pan so it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan, creating a water bath. Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, until the center is set but slightly jiggly.
  6. Cool the cheesecake in the oven: Turn off the oven and keep the door closed for 30 minutes to allow gentle continued cooking. Then crack the oven door open slightly and let the cheesecake cool for another 30 minutes to prevent cracking.
  7. Prepare the Bavarian cream: Sprinkle the gelatin over the milk in a small bowl; set aside. Whisk the egg yolks in a separate medium bowl. In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and banana extract. Heat over medium until warm. Remove from heat and slowly temper the eggs by gradually adding the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly. Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 160°F. Stir in the gelatin until smooth.
  8. Cool Bavarian cream: Pour the custard into a bowl and place it in an ice bath. Stir occasionally to cool to room temperature, avoiding lumps. Meanwhile, whip 2/3 cup cold heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled custard.
  9. Top cheesecake with Bavarian cream: Remove the aluminum foil from the springform pan and spread the Bavarian cream evenly over the cheesecake. Refrigerate for 5-6 hours until firm and completely cooled.
  10. Prepare whipped cream topping: Whip 1/2 cup cold heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan, pipe swirls of whipped cream around the edge, and garnish with fresh sliced bananas before serving.

Notes

  • For best results, use room temperature ingredients to ensure a smooth batter and even baking.
  • The water bath helps prevent cracking by providing gentle, even heat.
  • Be patient with cooling to avoid cracks in the cheesecake surface.
  • Adjust banana extract quantity depending on your preference for banana flavor intensity.
  • Use fresh bananas for garnish right before serving to prevent browning.

Keywords: banana cheesecake, cream cheese dessert, bavarian cream cheesecake, no crack cheesecake, banana cream dessert, springform pan cheesecake

Find it online: https://flavorsbymaya.com/banana-cream-cheesecake-recipe/