Bananas Foster Cheesecake

A rich, special occasion cheesecake that's full of banana flavor and a bourbon pecan topping inspired by the original Brennan's Banana Foster recipe.

Total time for the recipe to be finished.Total Time 2 hours hours

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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.

Something like this bananas foster cheesecake.

Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.

🗝️ Key takeaways

• Rich, New York style cheesecake with the flavor of New Orleans in the bananas foster topping.
• Bananas Foster cheesecake is good for any special occasion from the holidays to a special birthday.
• Using a water bath ensures the cake bakes evenly and is rich and delicious.

🧾 Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

📖 Variations

1. If you prefer not to use alcohol then use ½ cup banana nectar or banana syrup (both available on Amazon).
2. Walnuts can be substituted for the pecans.
3. Pecan shortbread cookies make a delicious crust.

🍴 Equipment

1. 10-inch springform pan
2. heavy duty aluminum foil
3. a larger pan to use for the bain marie
4. stand mixer

🥫 How to store leftovers

Any leftover cheesecake should be covered with plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container and refrigerated up to a week.

You can cut the cheesecake into servings and place parchment or waxed paper between the slices and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

💭 Things to know

1. Always have cheesecake ingredients at room temperature unless otherwise instructed.
2. Mix on the lowest speed of the mixer with a paddle attachment. You don't want to whip air into the batter.
3. Always use full fat cream cheese and sour cream. Whipped, low fat, and fat free types will not work!
4. Plan to make the cheesecake a day ahead of time. It needs to chill overnight for best results.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

📚 Related recipes

📞 The last word

When I went to Fredericksburg, Texas for a women's conference years ago 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, you know?

It was good but it had that icky artificial banana flavor that is so obvious. It didn't appeal to me at all.

My friend had a taste, 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.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

Bananas Foster Cheesecake

3.96 from 21 votes

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A rich, special occasion cheesecake that's full of banana flavor and a bourbon pecan topping inspired by the original Brennan's Banana Foster recipe.

Course Dessert - Cake

Cuisine American - Southern

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Resting time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 2 hours hours

Servings:16 servings

Calories:672

Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

Crumb Crust

• ▢ 4 cups Nilla wafers
• ▢ 1 cup pecans
• ▢ ½ cup Butter, melted and let get golden brown

Banana Cheesecake

• ▢ 32 oz cream cheese, full fat cream cheese at room temperature
• ▢ 16 oz sour cream
• ▢ 2 cups brown sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ▢ 4 bananas, very ripe - mashed
• ▢ 6 eggs

Topping - This was inspired by the original Brennan's recipe for Bananas Foster

• ▢ ½ cup butter
• ▢ 1 cup brown sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ cup banana liqueur
• ▢ ¼ cup Kentucky bourbon
• ▢ 4 bananas, sliced
• ▢ 1 cup pecan halves

Instructions

Crumb Crust

• 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.

Banana Cheesecake

• 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 ½ 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.

Topping

• 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.

Notes

Storage:

Any leftover cheesecake should be covered with plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container and refrigerated up to a week.

You can cut the cheesecake into servings and place parchment or waxed paper between the slices and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Tips:

Always have cheesecake ingredients at room temperature unless otherwise instructed.

Mix on the lowest speed of the mixer with a paddle attachment. You don't want to whip air into the batter.

Always use full fat cream cheese and sour cream. Whipped, low fat, and fat free types will not work!

Plan to make the cheesecake a day ahead of time. It needs to chill overnight for best results.

Toast the pecans for 5- 10 minutes at 350F for extra flavor.

Soak sliced bananas for a few minutes in orange or lemon juice to keep them from getting brown.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 672kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 375mg | Potassium: 330mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 970IU | Vitamin C: 2.7mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.

First published November 18, 2010. Last updated April 27, 2024 for editorial improvements and more information.

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