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sliced vegan banana pudding cheesecake

Caramelized Vegan ‘Brown Butter’ Banana Pudding Cheesecake – No eggs, Dairy free!

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews

Description

This brown butter banana pudding cheesecake features caramelized bananas sautéed in dairy free brown butter for the most luxuriously creamy banana cheesecake batter layered with fresh bananas, vanilla pudding, vanilla cookies, and dairy free whipped cream! It’s everything you love in cheesecake form!

Ingredients

Scale

Graham cracker crust:

  • 18 sheets (280 g) vegan graham crackers
  • 1/3 cup (68 g) vegan butter, melted

Caramelized ‘brown butter’ bananas:

  • 3 large ripe bananas, sliced
  • 3 tbsp vegan butter

Banana cheesecake batter:

  • 36 ounces (904 g) vegan cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup (240 g) vegan heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (120 g) dairy free yogurt, room temperature
  • 8 tbsp (80 g) cornstarch or arrowroot starch
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Vanilla pudding:

  • 1 cup (240 mL) vegan heavy cream
  • 1 cup (240 mL) dairy free milk
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • 4 tbsp (40 g) cornstarch or arrowroot starch
  • 3 tbsp vegan butter
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

For topping:

  • 2 cups (480 mL) vegan heavy cream, cold
  • 2-3 ripe bananas
  • 1 cup crushed vegan Nilla wafer cookies*

Instructions

  1. Prep: Line an  9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Grease the edges of the pan with a bit of cooking or coconut oil as well, and line with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 400F.
  2. If making the graham crackers: You’ll need about an hour and a half for making the graham crackers prior to making the cheesecake. Or you can make the graham crackers the day before. Follow the instructions below in the recipe card notes section to make the graham crackers.
  3. Make the crust: Add the graham crackers to a food processor, and pulse until you reach a fine crumb. Then add in the melted vegan butter, and pulse again until you get a wet crumb. Press the cookie crumbs into the bottom of your cheesecake pan, working up the sides of the pan as well. Place the pan into the oven to bake for 10-12 minutes to par-bake. While the crust is baking, make the caramelized bananas.
  4. Caramelize the bananas: In a medium saucepan, heat the vegan butter on medium-high heat. Allow the butter to start to brown, with brown flecks forms as you sauté it and a nutty aroma forming, about 3-4 minutes. Add the sliced bananas to the pan, and sauté the bananas on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until soft and golden brown on the edges. Remove from heat.
  5. Make the cheesecake filling: In a large food processor, cream together the cream cheese and dairy free yogurt until smooth. Add in the caramelized bananas, sugar, light brown sugar, vegan heavy cream, vanilla extract, and cornstarch. Cream together again until smooth. Pour the cheesecake filling into the springform pan, and smooth the top. Place the cheesecake pan onto a baking sheet (SEPARATE from the baking sheet used for the water bath- this cheesecake baking sheet just helps to transport the cheesecake to and from the oven).
  6. Reduce the heat of the oven: Reduce the heat to 350F.
  7. Create the water bath: Be ready to move to the next step immediately after finishing this step. Make sure that you boil the 3-4 cups water prior to pouring the water into the pan. Pour the boiling water into the pan. This is essential for keeping the cheesecake moist and preventing any cracks.
  8. Bake the cheesecake: Carefully place the water bath baking sheet into the oven on the low rack. Then place the cheesecake baking sheet onto the middle rack and quickly close the oven to bake for 72-75 minutes, or until the the top of the cheesecake lightly golden. The center is set but still wiggly. Turn off the oven, and allow the cheesecake to sit in the oven for 1 hour with the door slightly cracked. The water should also be completely dissolved. This cheesecake will not seem cooked at all when you first turn off the oven.
  9. Chill the cheesecake: Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes. Then cover and place the cheesecake into the fridge to chill for 4 hours, or overnight.
  10. Make the vanilla pudding: After you make the cheesecake, if you’re planning to serve it in a few hours, you can make the vanilla pudding. Otherwise you can make the vanilla pudding on the morning of the next day. Whisk together all pudding ingredients except the vegan butter in a small saucepan. Bring the pan to medium heat and continue to whisk until it starts to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and stir in the vegan butter. Then remove the pudding from the heat all together and set aside to cool completely.
  11. When ready to assemble: All ingredients must be chilled. You can either make the vegan whipped cream from scratch or use store bought vegan ‘cool whip,’ like from So Delicious! To make the vegan whipped cream, follow the instructions on the box of the vegan whipped cream container (each has their own instructions). Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. Slice the bananas and place the banana coins on top of the cheesecake followed by a layer of vanilla pudding and crumbled vanilla wafer cookies. Repeat again, using up all of the vanilla pudding. Then top with vegan whipped cream, more bananas, and vanilla wafer cookies. 
  12. Serve and enjoy! Slice, and enjoy Store any leftover cheesecake in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Notes

Gluten free: Use my homemade gluten free vegan graham cracker recipe linked above, along with gluten-free vanilla wafer cookies (I like the ones from Partake). 

Vegan Nilla wafers: The brand I used here is the 365 Whole Foods brand. It’s naturally vegan (so no eggs and no milk).

Find it online: https://thebananadiaries.com/vegan-banana-pudding-cheesecake/