Food and Recipes Desserts Cakes Banana Pudding Cheesecake Classic banana pudding gets a creamy makeover. By Southern Living Test Kitchen Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 20, 2022 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Active Time: 45 mins Total Time: 11 hrs 10 mins Yield: 10 to 12 serves Classic banana pudding gets a creamy, decadent makeover. Consider this Banana Pudding Cheesecake recipe our way of upping the ante on a classic Southern dessert. Cheesecake is always a crowd-pleaser at Southern affairs, and this version takes the velvety confection to new heights. An easy crust of vanilla wafers, chopped pecans, and butter gets your springform ready for smooth cheesecake filling. After topping with festive garnishes like vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, and homemade whipped cream, get ready to taste the heavenly mash-up you never knew you needed. Packed with all the flavor of traditional banana pudding, this new twist on cheesecake will take everyone by delicious surprise. This season, try your hand at this reader-favorite Banana Pudding Cheesecake. Ingredients 1 ½ cups finely crushed vanilla wafers ½ cup chopped pecans ¼ cup butter, melted 17 vanilla wafers 2 diced ripe bananas 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 24 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 3 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 cup coarsely crushed vanilla wafers Garnishes: sweetened whipped cream, vanilla wafers, sliced bananas tossed in lemon juice Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together finely crushed vanilla wafers, pecans, and melted butter in a small bowl until well blended. Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan and press mixture onto bottom of pan. Line the edge of the pan with vanilla wafers (about 17) with rounded sides against the pan to form a crust. Bake 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 30 minutes). Combine lemon juice and bananas in a small saucepan. Stir in brown sugar. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until sugar has dissolved. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese at medium speed for 3 minutes or until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat until yellow disappears after each addition. Beat in vanilla, and gently stir banana mixture into cream cheese mixture. Pour batter into crust. Bake at 350°F for 45 to 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove cheesecake from oven; gently run a knife around edge of cheesecake to loosen. Sprinkle top of cheesecake with coarsely crushed wafers. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill for 8 hours. Garnish with whipped cream, wafers, and sliced bananas before serving. Southern Living Print