This cheesecake is a flavor-packed dream! Think layers of crushed vanilla wafers, fresh bananas, velvety pudding, creamy whipped cream cheese, and a generous topping of cool whip. I’ve whipped this up twice this month, and both times, people were clamoring for more. Perfect for the Fourth of July – it’s a showstopper!
Crust Layer:
- 1 box vanilla wafers, crushed (reserve 1/8 cup for topping)
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake Layer:
- 2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pudding Layer:
- 1 box (3.4 oz) Banana Cream or Vanilla Instant Pudding mix
- 1 cup cold milk + 2-3 tbsp
Banana Layer:
- 4 bananas, sliced
Topping Layer:
- 8 oz. Cool Whip, defrosted
- 1/8 cup reserved crushed vanilla wafers from the crust layer
- Optional: Whipped cream for decoration
Instructions:
- Slice 4 small bananas and set them aside. Defrost Cool Whip to room temp if it’s in the freezer.
- Crush vanilla wafers in a blender. Set aside 1/8 cup of crushed wafers. Mix the remaining crushed wafers with melted butter to form a thick, buttery crust. Press the crust down on the bottom of a lightly greased 9” springform pan. Put it in the fridge.
- While the crust chills, beat the cream cheese using a hand-held or stand mixer until soft. Add sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract, beating until smooth. Set aside.
- Make the pudding mix, deviating from the box instructions. Combine pudding mix and 1 cup of cold milk. Add an additional 2-3 tbsp of cold milk as needed. The pudding should be thicker but smooth.
- Retrieve the crust from the fridge and layer the cream cheese mixture on top. Spread with a spatula. Add the pudding layer and smooth it out. Place the sliced bananas on top. Finish with a layer of Cool Whip. Sprinkle the remaining crushed vanilla wafers on top.
- Chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours. We usually take it out around 2.5 hours.
- Remove from the fridge and get creative with whipped cream decorations. Enjoy!
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