Description
This Crust Banana Caramel Cheesecake is a luscious dessert combining a crunchy graham cracker crust with a creamy banana-infused cheesecake filling swirled with rich caramel sauce. The delicate balance of ripe bananas and caramel creates a decadently smooth and flavorful treat, perfect for special occasions or an indulgent everyday dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 24 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup thick caramel sauce (plus extra for drizzling)
Toppings (optional)
- Sliced bananas
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter. Press this mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan to form an even crust layer. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly.
- Make the cheesecake filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and brown sugar together until smooth and creamy. Add in the mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt, then mix everything until fully combined and uniform in texture.
- Add the eggs: Beat the eggs in one at a time into the batter, mixing on low speed just until each is incorporated. Avoid over-mixing to maintain a light texture.
- Assemble and swirl caramel: Pour half of the cheesecake batter over the prepared crust. Drizzle half of the caramel sauce over the batter and use a knife to gently swirl the caramel through the filling. Then pour the remaining batter over this, drizzle the rest of the caramel sauce on top, and swirl again carefully.
- Bake the cheesecake: Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the center is just set and the edges turn lightly golden. Once baked, turn off the oven, crack the door open, and allow the cheesecake to cool inside for 1 hour to prevent cracking.
- Chill: Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight to let it firm up and develop flavor.
- Serve: Before serving, drizzle extra caramel sauce on top and garnish with sliced bananas and whipped cream if desired for an elegant finish.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas to maximize the natural sweetness and flavor in the cheesecake.
- To prevent cracks, consider baking the cheesecake in a water bath or placing a pan of hot water on the rack below it while baking.
- Chilling the cheesecake overnight results in the firmest texture and better flavor melding.
