Bananas are one of the favorite foods in this house. I love them. The kids love them. Even the dogs love them. There is something about the flavor and texture that is at once sophisticated and elegant with comfort food roots… and that is before you make something with them.
When I went to Fredericksburg, Texas for a women’s conference last month I had a bananas foster cheesecake for dessert. Actually, to be perfectly honest I had it for dinner…I mean, I do try to watch calories and I also try to keep my priorities straight, capiche?
It was good but it had that artificial banana flavor that is so obvious and that did not appeal to me at all. My friend, Jaunita was with me and after a taste she looked at me and said, “This is what I want for my birthday.”
And so it happened. I created this bananas foster cheesecake without that artificial flavor. The cheesecake itself is airier than I usually like cheesecake to be, due to the heavy addition of bananas. The topping is a traditional bananas foster topping with the addition of pecans and bourbon rather than rum.
Rich? Yes.
Delicious? Yes.
Should you make it? Oh HECK yes.
This is a fabulous cheesecake for the holidays because it is festive but different from the usual flavors of chocolate, peppermint, and rum. Prepare to lick the bowl. Seriously.
A rich, special occasion cheesecake with the flavor of bananas and a topping inspired by the original Brennan's Banana Foster recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 cups Nilla wafers
- 1 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup melted, browned butter
- 32 oz cream cheese (full fat, room temperature)
- 16 ozs sour cream
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 mashed bananas, very ripe
- 6 eggs
- 1 stick butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup banana liqueur
- ¼ cup Kentucky bourbon
- 4 bananas, sliced
- 1 cup pecan halves
Instructions
- Grind pecans and wafers until they are fine crumbs.
- Mix in melted butter and press into a 10 inch springform pan. Press about halfway upsides of pan.
- Cover bottom and partway up the sides on the outside with aluminum foil. You will probably need to seam two pieces of foil together to make a big enough piece to fit over the pan.
- Set aside.
- Beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended.
- Add vanilla and banana
- Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition
- Fold in the sour cream
- Spoon into the crumb lined springform
- Place the pan in a hot water bath with the water coming about 1/2 way up the sides of the pan.
- Bake at 375 F for 50 minutes. Turn oven off but do not open the door. Leave for 1 hour.
- Remove cake from oven and water bath. Allow to cool on the counter for 1 hour.
- Place a paper towel over the top, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 6 hours.
- Melt butter in heavy pan
- Stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon and whisk until sugar crystals disappear and butter and sugar blend.
- Add the banana liqueur, bananas, and pecans. Allow the bananas to soften.
- Add the bourbon and either simmer for another few minutes OR light on fire and pour over the chilled cake tableside for a dramatic presentation.
- If you have not lit the sauce, spoon it evenly over the top of the cake, reserving some as sauce to plate with.
If you are looking for more cheesecake recipes you might also like:
Black Bottom Raspberry Lime Cheesecake
Triple Layer Chocolate, Espresso, Milky Way Cheesecake
images:marye audet
