Banana Cream Cheesecake (Copycat)

Cheesecake, Dessert

Ingredients

  • **For the crust:**
  • 20 vanilla cream-filled sandwich style cookies
  • 1/4 cup margarine, melted
  • **For the filling:**
  • 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar (133 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch (16 grams)
  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 cup mashed bananas
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Shredded coconut, for topping (optional)

Method

  1. Use a blender to finely chop the cookies.
  2. Add margarine and blend until they are well combined.
  3. Press mixture into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan and smooth it out. Refrigerate the crust while you make the filling.
  4. Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until creamy.
  5. Beat in sugar and cornstarch followed by the eggs (one at a time).
  6. Beat in bananas, whipping cream, and vanilla.
  7. Pour mixture into crust.
  8. Place pan on a cookie sheet and bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.
  9. Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees and bake an additional 75 minutes, or until center is almost set, adding coconut for the last 20 minutes if using.
  10. Allow to cool completely before removing the rim of the pan. Before removing the pan, run warm water over a knife and slide it around the edge of the cake to separate the cake from the pan cleanly.
  11. Refrigerate cheesecake, uncovered, at least 6 hours.