This is the best bananas foster cheesecake! It is a creamy banana, brown butter and cinnamon cheesecake, over a graham cracker crust, filled with pockets of brown sugar cinnamon filling, topped with brown sugar caramel bananas foster topping. It's the ultimate indulgent banana dessert!
This cheesecake will absolutely be a showstopper and is sure to wow everyone who tries it. It's perfect for celebrations, birthdays, or just when you want to make something extra special. Make this for the banana lover in your life!
If you're looking for other cheesecake recipes check out my white chocolate salted caramel cheesecake, pumpkin cheesecake, coffee cheesecake, Biscoff cheesecake, apple pie cheesecake, pecan pie cheesecake, chocolate cheesecake or lemon cheesecake!
Why You'll Love this Bananas Foster Cheesecake
It's covered in brown sugar caramel bananas foster topping.
It has the absolute best creamy texture.
It's full of banana flavor.
It's got pockets of gooey brown sugar cinnamon filling.
Simple Ingredients for Bananas Foster Cheesecake
- Cream Cheese- full fat cream cheese will be the base of this cheesecake
- Sour Cream- adds extra creaminess to this cheesecake
- Eggs- make sure they're room temperature
- Butter- used to make the brown butter for the filling, and in the crust
- Vanilla Extract- adds a sweet note to the cheesecake
- Rum Extract- adds that classic bananas foster rum flavor
- Granulated White Sugar- sweetens the cheesecake batter
- Light Brown Sugar- used to sweeten the cheesecake and for the brown sugar caramel bananas foster topping
- Flour- used for the brown sugar cinnamon filling
- Cornstarch- essential for a perfect cheesecake. It adds a bit of structure, allows for clean slices and helps the top to never crack or sink
- Bananas- you will need both very ripe bananas, and barely ripe bananas
- Cinnamon- adds warmth to the cheesecake
- Graham Crackers- ground to make the crust
- Heavy Whipping Cream- used for the brown sugar caramel sauce
- Springform Pan- essential for making a cheesecake
- Large Roasting Pan- for the water bath
Step by Step Instructions
This cheesecake is very involved, but these steps break it down so you can see exactly how to make it!
(See recipe card below for complete measurements and baking times!)
STEP ONE: Make the brown butter.
Add the butter to a pot and heat it over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and come to a simmer. Simmer until the butter is foamy, giving off a nutty scent and has browned. The whole process should take about 5 minutes. Remove the butter from the heat and transfer it to a small bowl.
STEP TWO: Make the cinnamon filling.
Add the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and flour to a small bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until combined. Set aside.
STEP THREE: Prep the pan.
Prepare the springform pan by wrapping the bottom and edges of it with aluminum foil. I recommend at least using 4 sheets of foil, but I always do 8-10 to be EXTRA sure no water will seep into the pan while the cheesecake bakes. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
STEP FOUR: Make the crust.
Pulse the graham crackers together in a food processor. Then add in the melted butter and brown sugar and pulse until combined. Press the graham cracker crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, about 1 inch. (A ¼ measuring cup really helps with this step). Bake the crust and then let it cool.
STEP FIVE: Make the cheesecake filling.
In a large bowl of a stand mixer, mix the cream cheese, corn starch, brown sugar and granulated white sugar together with a paddle attachment on medium speed for two minutes until everything is smooth and there are no lumps. (You can alternatively use a hand mixer). Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure everything has been mixed well.
Add in the mashed bananas, brown butter, vanilla, rum extract, cinnamon, and sour cream to the cream cheese mixture and mix for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of bowl again to ensure everything is mixed together.
Next add in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time to the cheesecake batter. Mix on medium speed, ensuring that each is fully mixed in before adding the next. As soon as the last one is fully mixed in, turn off the mixer. Do not over mix the batter.
STEP SIX: Bake the cheesecake.
Pour ⅓ of the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Sprinkle ⅓ of the cinnamon filling over the cheesecake batter. Pour ⅓ of the cheesecake batter over this layer and top with ⅓ of the cinnamon filling. Repeat the step once more, then gently swirl the cinnamon filling and cheesecake batter with a butter knife. (The pan will be full almost to the top and this is okay!)
Place the cheesecake into a large roasting pan. Transfer to the oven and pour hot water into the pan, being very careful not to splash the cheesecake. Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven, crack the door and leave cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour. (The top of the cheesecake will be a little brown and this is okay!) Remove cheesecake from oven and go around the edges of the pan with a butter knife to loosen the crust from the sides of the pan. Let it cool completely on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then chill the cheesecake in the fridge for 8 hours, or overnight.
STEP SEVEN: Make the bananas foster topping.
Add the butter and brown sugar to a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce to medium low heat and mix in the cream. Let the mixture simmer for 1-2 minutes. Then mix in the rum extract, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Add in the barely ripe banana slices and let them simmer for 6-8 minutes until the bananas are slightly transparent. Occasionally, gently stir them being careful not to mash them together. Remove from the heat and allow the caramel and bananas to cool completely,
STEP EIGHT: Make the cream cheese frosting.
Add the butter to a medium sized mixing bowl. Mix the butter with an electric mixer on high speed until pale in color and fluffy, 5-10 minutes. Add in the cream cheese and mix on medium speed until combined. Sift in the powdered sugar a little at a time until and mix on low speed until all is combined. Then mix on high speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. (My favorite is my Wilton 1M tip.)
STEP NINE: Assemble the cheesecake.
Transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate. Pipe the cream cheese frosting around the top edges of the cheesecake. Pour the bananas foster topping on top of the cheesecake in between the frosting. Then serve!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
(See recipe card below for complete measurements and baking times!)
FAQs
Do I really have to use a water bath to bake the cheesecake? Yes, it's absolutely essential. The water bath adds moisture to the oven while the cheesecake bakes and helps to regulate the heat. Without it, the cheesecake won't bake like it should.
Can this be made gluten free? Yes! You can use gluten free graham crackers for the crust and gluten free flour for the cinnamon filling.
Can I use real rum instead of rum extract? Sure! Use 1 tablespoon in the cheesecake filling and about 1.5 teaspoon in the bananas foster topping to keep the taste the same as the rum extract. (If you want a heavier rum flavor, you could use more in the topping, but I would stick to just 1 tablespoon for the cheesecake batter.)
Pro Tips
Use a hand mixer to mash your bananas. This makes it super easy to get a good mashed consistency!
I recommend using a stand mixer to make the cheesecake if you have one. Mix the cheesecake on a medium and medium low speed to ensure you're not over mixing.
Be super, super careful not to over mix the cheesecake batter. If you mix too much the cheesecake texture can turn out very runny with a whipped cream consistency.
For best results, make sure you're using room temperature ingredients for the cheesecake batter.
Make sure your cheesecake has completely chilled before attempting to decorate/cut into it. I recommend making it the day before you're panning on serving it and allowing it to chill overnight.
If you make this cheesecake please leave a star rating, it's so helpful for me! Tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ and TikTok @inbloombakery so I can see as well! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas!
Other Desserts to Try
Cinnamon Streusel Banana Bread
📖 Recipe
Bananas Foster Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Brown Butter
- ½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter
For the Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling
- ½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup (42 g) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
For the Crust
- 16 (240 g) graham crackers, full sheets
- 10 tablespoon (140 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoon (28 g) brown sugar
For the Banana Cheesecake
- 32 oz (907 g) cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup (165 g) brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoon (16 g) cornstarch
- 1 cup (250 g) very ripe bananas, mashed about 2 large bananas
- ⅓ cup (82 g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon rum extract
- 3 whole eggs, at room temperature
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
For the Bananas Foster Topping
- 6 tablespoon (84 g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoon (150 ml) heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon rum extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 2 barely ripe large bananas, sliced
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, cold
- 1 ½ cups (195 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Brown Butter
- Add the butter to a pot and heat it over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and come to a simmer. Simmer until the butter is foamy, giving off a nutty scent and has browned. The whole process should take about 5 minutes. Remove the butter from the heat and transfer it to a small bowl.½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter
For the Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling
- Add the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and flour to a small bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until combined. Set aside.½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened, 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, ⅓ cup (42 g) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
For the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare your 9-inch springform pan by wrapping the bottom and edges of it with aluminum foil. I recommend at least using 4 sheets of foil, but I always do 8-10 to be EXTRA sure no water will seep into the pan while the cheesecake bakes. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground. Then add in the melted butter and brown sugar and pulse until combined.16 (240 g) graham crackers, full sheets, 10 tablespoon (140 g) unsalted butter, melted, 2 tablespoon (28 g) brown sugar
- Press the graham cracker crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, about 1 inch. (A ¼ measuring cup really helps with this step). Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then let it cool.
For the Banana Cheesecake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees if it's not still preheated from the crust.
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer, mix the cream cheese, brown sugar, granulated white sugar and cornstarch together with a paddle attachment on medium speed for two minutes until everything is smooth and there are no lumps. (You can alternatively use a hand mixer.) Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure everything has been mixed well.32 oz (907 g) cream cheese, softened, ¾ cup (165 g) brown sugar, packed, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated white sugar, 2 tablespoon (16 g) cornstarch
- Add the mashed bananas, brown butter, sour cream, cinnamon, vanilla and rum extract to the cream cheese mixture and mix for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of bowl again to ensure everything is mixed together.1 cup (250 g) very ripe bananas, mashed, ⅓ cup (82 g) sour cream, at room temperature, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 2 teaspoon rum extract
- At this point, stop and put a pot of water on the stove to start boiling for the water bath. You will want enough water to go up about 1 ½ inches on the sides of the springform pan.
- Next add in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time to the cheesecake batter. Mix on medium speed, ensuring that each is fully mixed in before adding the next. As soon as the last one is fully mixed in, turn off the mixer. Do not over mix the batter.3 whole eggs, at room temperature, 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- Pour ⅓ of the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Sprinkle ⅓ of the cinnamon filling over the cheesecake batter. Pour ⅓ of the cheesecake batter over this layer and top with ⅓ of the cinnamon filling. Repeat the step once more, then gently swirl the cinnamon filling and cheesecake batter with a butter knife.
- Place the cheesecake in a large roasting pan. Transfer to the oven and pour the hot water into the pan being very careful not to splash the cheesecake.
- Bake the cheesecake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. When 1 hour is up, turn off the oven and crack the oven door open using a wooden utensil. Let the cheesecake stay in the oven for 1 more hour. The cheesecake will continue to bake as it is cooling.
- Remove cheesecake from oven and go around the edges of the pan with a butter knife to loosen the crust from the sides of the pan. Let it cool completely on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then chill the cheesecake in the fridge for 8 hours, or overnight.
For the Bananas Foster Topping
- Add the butter and brown sugar to a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.6 tablespoon (84 g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar, packed
- Reduce to medium low heat and mix in the cream. Let the mixture simmer for 1-2 minutes. Then mix in the rum extract, vanilla and a pinch of salt.½ cup + 2 tablespoon (150 ml) heavy cream, ½ teaspoon rum extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, pinch of salt
- Add in the banana slices and let them simmer for 6-8 minutes until the bananas are slightly transparent. Occasionally, gently stir them being careful not to mash them together. Remove from the heat and allow the caramel and bananas to cool completely.2 barely ripe large bananas, sliced
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add the butter to a medium sized mixing bowl. Mix the butter with an electric mixer on high speed until pale in color and fluffy, 5-10 minutes.½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
- Add in the cream cheese and mix on medium speed until combined.4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, cold
- Sift in the powdered sugar a little at a time until and mix on low speed until all is combined. Then mix on high speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. (My favorite is my Wilton 1M tip.)1 ½ cups (195 g) powdered sugar
Assembling the Cheesecake
- Transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate. Pipe the cream cheese frosting around the top edges of the cheesecake. Pour the bananas foster topping on top of the cheesecake between the frosting. Then serve!
Am I just missing what size springform pan I should be using? I swear I’ve read the recipe 5x and haven’t seen it.
What size spring pan do you use?
9-inch springform pan.
This turned out to be a runny mess. I double checked my measurements but something went wrong. It smelled really good. When I released the pan it collapsed and spread out all over the counter oozing butter. Not sure what happened. Has anyone else had a similar issue?
Hi JT. Did you let the cheesecake chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours before releasing from the pan? If you didn't let it chill, that could be the problem.
I left out the cream cheese topping to cut the sweetness but it still tasted overly sweet. Tastes amazing though.
It was delicious but overly sweet glad I used stabilized whipped topping instead of the cream cheese frosting ☺️
I did this and it ended up way undercooked. When I took it out of the oven it was very jiggly. Left it overnight. Cut it open and undercooked 🙁 Could it be that it needs more time in the oven?
Hi Gabriel. This is a softer cheesecake, but it should not be undercooked if it was baked for 1 hour at 350 degrees F, and then left in the oven for 1 hour with the oven off and the door propped open.