Guess who’s birthday it is today???? It is my sweet Nelly’s birthday, WOO HOO!!!!! Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you!!!!
Nelly, Nelly, can you believe we met just over two years ago? I feel like I have known you FOREVER. You truly are one of my dearest, and closest friends. The day we finally meet in person…..OH MAN girl, expect the BIGGEST hug EVER!!!! I didn’t put any candles on your cake, but I did have a shot of brandy for you (you know how I like my booze!) Cheers, my friend 🙂
Nelly has a love for life, lives to laugh, adores baking, craves coffee, needs a turtle for a pet ASAP, and is extremely addicted to bananas! Her love for bananas is so strong, her favorite color is yellow!!! Soooooo, she had to have a cake for her special day, and well a banana cheesecake seemed appropriate! Only the best for my dear friend!
About a year ago I made cheesecake for the first time, peppermint hot chocolate cheesecake, I am not sure why it took me so long to make a homemade cheesecake, they are sooooo delicious! Most cheesecakes only have cream cheese of course, BUT since I am a Chobani Greek Yogurt addict, mine also contains some creamy dreamy Greek yogurt.
Whenever I go to The Cheesecake Factory, the only cheesecake I can see on the menu….banana cream pie cheesecake! I know there are others probably on that menu, but the only one that has my heart is the banana cream pie. Now that I have made my own version at home….well my waist line may hate me a little more….BUT since we only live once, let’s celebrate a VERY special day!!!!
Banana Cream Pie Cheesecake
Ingredients
- For Crust:
- 10 oz box of Teddy Graham Chocolate flavor crackers
- ½ cup sugar
- ¾ cup melted butter
- For Cheesecake:
- 2½ cups 2% Plain Chobani Greek Yogurt
- 2 16oz cream cheese, softened
- 1¾ cups sugar
- 5 eggs at room temperature
- 2½ cups mashed bananas about three bananas
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 bananas to decorate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray 10 inch spring form pan with cooking spray. Cover bottom of pan and around the sides with foil.
- In food processor – grind finely the teddy graham chocolate crackers, mix in sugar, and slowly mix in melted butter until well combined.
- Spread graham cracker crumb mixture out evenly in spring form pan on bottom and around sides.
- In kitchenaid mixer or with hand mixer – mix together Greek yogurt, softened cream cheese, add in sugar, slowly add one egg at a time, make sure cheesecake batter is mixed well, add vanilla extract and mashed bananas, mix well.
- Place slice bananas on bottom of cheesecake pan on crust, pour cheesecake batter on top of sliced bananas. Place cheesecake on sheet pan to bake, place in oven, add water to sheet pan just until it covers bottom of pan. A water bath will help cook the cheesecake evenly.
- Bake cheesecake for 1 hr and 30 minutes. It will depend on oven, bake until there is no jiggle in center of cheesecake. After hour and half, turn off oven and let cheesecake sit in oven until the oven cools. Then place in refrigerator for up to six hours, or you can blast chill the cheesecake in freezer for about 2 hours. Enjoy!
Happy birthday! I’ve never seen a banana cream pie cheesecake but that’s a combination of my two favorite desserts so I’m totally in!!
Happy Birthday! What a wonderful dessert to have. Enjoy your day.
Slightly belated happy birthday! As a fellow 1985’er, I’m glad we can both share the same birthday year and a love of cooking. I hope it was a great one!
OMG this looks delicious! Terra your are an awesome friend 🙂 Happy Delicious Birthday Nelly.
Abrazos
Yayyyyy Happy Happy Birthday!!!
HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you dear Nelly! And how sweet of you, Terra to make her such a delicious birthday cake. Wish we all lived closer. Then we’d all enjoy a slice, over cups of good coffee and tea and lots of girl talk! Thanks for sharing the recipe. Hugs and warm wishes to you both 🙂
Sending you much love on your birthday, sweet friend. Love you much, Nelly. xoxo
And Terra, this recipe looks too good to resist! I must and WILL try it!!
Hugs to you both.
P
Happy Birthday Nelly! I also love the banana cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory like your friend Terra. I’m addicted to that one as well as the Red Velvet Cheesecake. 🙂 Enjoy your day!
Happy Birthday Nelly!! What a good friend you have to make something so lovely for you. 🙂