Banana Cream Cheesecake boasts a velvety filling with a thick Bavarian custard layer, all nestled in a vanilla wafer crust. Bursting with banana flavor and loaded with fluffy whipped cream for a phenomenal dessert!
If you want to try more fruity desserts, definitely take a look at our pies! Bake up this gorgeous Classic Blueberry Pie, homemade Apple Pie, or Strawberry Pie, and treat yourself.
Banana Cream Cheesecake Cheesecake Factory Copycat
Banana Cream Cheesecake is such a dreamy dessert! So rich tastes like fresh bananas, and features homemade Bavarian custard. For extra indulgence, we put more fresh bananas and cream on top! A guaranteed hit, and elegant enough for special occasions.
Add your special touch when you make the recipe! Sometimes, I jazz it up with chocolate or a caramel drizzle or arrange some crunchy candied pecans on top. If you want less work, skip the fresh whip and use Cool Whip instead. Have fun with it and enjoy it!
This is the homemade version of the famous dessert you can find at the Cheesecake Factory. The best part is that at home you can make it for far less money and you also control the freshness and the quality of the ingredients.
I am a huge fan of Cheesecake Factory desserts and it’s kind of my mission to recreate those masterpieces at home. We have a whole section on the blog dedicated to them. Definitely make sure you try the specialty Anniversary Red Velvet Cake and the Oreo Dream Extreme cake.
What is Banana Cream Cheesecake?
It’s a layered banana dessert, typically with a base of crushed vanilla cookies. The baked filling has both fresh bananas and extracts for intense fruit flavor.
On top, you will find Bavarian custard spread in a thick layer and chilled until it sets. Whip cream is piped on the finished cake along with more fresh fruit slices.
How to make Banana Cream Cheesecake?
The steps may look complex, but don’t panic. It’s actually easy when you focus on one layer at a time. Let me walk you through the process:
Bake the base.
- Crush the wafers and mix it with the rest of the ingredients for the crust. Combine until the cinnamon powder and sugar are distributed evenly and the crumbs are uniformly moist.
- Press firmly into a prepared springform.
- Bake for around 10 minutes at 325F, and let it cool. Decrease temp to 300F.
Bake the filling.
- Beat the room-temp cheese with the flour, sugar, and a little cornstarch until perfectly smooth.
- Add the pure banana extract and sour cream, followed by the pureed fruit.
- Spread carefully on the baked wafer crust.
- Bake in a water bath for 1.5 hrs. until slightly jiggly but the edges are mostly set.
- Let it cool for around 30 mins inside the oven after turning it off.
Make the Bavarian cream.
- Whisk yolks.
- Warm the cream together with the banana extract and sugar until hot.
- Temper the yolks with the hot mixture, then return everything back into the pan.
- Cook over a hard simmer until the custard thickens, then stir in the gelatin. Cool.
- Meanwhile, whisk more cream together with the powdered sugar until you have stiff peaks.
- Fold this gently into the cooled Bavarian custard, then spread over the baked filling.
- Chill for around 6 hours or more until the entire cake is firm.
Whip the topping.
- Whip the cream (it’s best to chill it beforehand) with the powdered sugar and vanilla. Continue until you reach stiff peaks.
- Pipe using your favorite tip, or pile it on top for a more rustic look.
- Decorate with more slices of banana.
Serve.
- Slice into your preferred size, and serve with more whip on the side if desired.
What is the best cream cheese to use for a cheesecake?
No matter what brand you prefer, I strongly suggest using full-fat for this dessert. Low-fat varieties are thinner and won’t give you that dense, rich consistency that’s a hallmark of the perfect cheesecake.
Can I use spread instead of cream cheese for cheesecake?
As much as possible, use the brick-style kind. Spreadable products are more aerated than the regular variety, and which means the cake can sink into itself after baking.
But if it’s all you can get at your location, feel free to use it. Look for one with 35% fat or higher with a thick consistency.
More delicious recipes:
- Apple Pie Caramel Cheesecake
- Brownie Baileys Cheesecake
- Instant Pot Key Lime Cheesecake
- Pecan Pie Pumpkin Cheesecake
- No-Bake Tiramisu Cheesecake
Storage Instructions for storage:
You may store it whole or in individual slices.
First, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Then, wrap securely in foil. This prevents the cake from drying out.
For short term storage, place it in the fridge and consume within 3 days.
If you want to keep it longer, freeze the wrapped portions, and keep for two months. Simply thaw overnight to serve.
Recipe tips and notes:
- Release the cake easily using a springform pan.
- Prevent the water bath from seeping into the pan by wrapping the outside with a double layer of foil before baking.
- Chilling overnight is highly recommended to ensure the cake is fully set.
- Begin with room temp ingredients for easy incorporation.
Banana Cream Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs or graham crackers crumbs
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 3 tablespoons white granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Cheesecake Filling:
- 32 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/3 cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 tablespoon banana extract
- 1 cup pureed banana from about 2 medium bananas
- 3 large eggs room temperature
Bavarian Cream:
- 7 grams powdered gelatin
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream room temperature
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon banana extract
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream cold
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Topping:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Freshly sliced bananas
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FollowInstructions
Crust:
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Combine the crust ingredients in a medium bowl and press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- Once cooled, cover the pan on the outside (the bottom and sides) of a 9-inch springform pan with aluminum foil so water from the water bath cannot get in. Set aside.
Cheesecake Filling:
- Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, white sugar, flour and cornstarch on low speed until combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add the sour cream and banana extract and mix on low speed until well combined.
- Add the pureed bananas and mix on low speed until combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed to combine. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl from time to time.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust.
- Place the springform pan inside a larger pan and fill that pan with enough warm water to reach halfway up the sides of the springform pan that is covered in foil.
- Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes. The center should be set, but still jiggly.
- Turn off the oven, do NOT open the door for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, crack the door of the oven and cool the cheesecake in the oven for another 30 minutes.
Bavarian Cream:
- Add the milk to a small bowl, and sprinkle the gelatin on top, set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks together and set aside.
- Add the 1 cup of room temperature heavy cream, white sugar, and banana extract to a large saucepan and heat over medium heat until warm.
- Once warm, remove from heat and slowly pour the hot cream into the egg yolks, stirring, to temper them.
- Next, add the egg mixture to the saucepan and return to the heat. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. That will take only a few minutes.
- Add the gelatin mixture to the saucepan and stir until smooth.
- Prepare a large bowl filled with add, and pour the hot custard into another smaller bowl, set it over the bowl with ice to cool to room temperature.
- Add the 1/2 cup of cold heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to a large bowl and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- When the custard has fully cooled, gently fold the prepared whipped cream into the custard.
- Remove the foil wrapping from the cheesecake, and spread the bavarian cream evenly on top of the cheesecake. Place in the fridge to cool for at least 6 hours.
Topping:
- Once the cheesecake has been refrigerated, run a butter knife around the edges and remove it from the springform pan.
- Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to a large bowl and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Pipe swirls of whipped cream around the edge of the cheesecake, and garnish with freshly sliced bananas.
Nutrition Facts
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