Instant Pot Bananas Foster Cheesecake
Instant Pot Bananas Foster Cheesecake is a rich combination of a delicious vanilla cookie pecan crust with a creamy banana and rum filling plus warm cinnamon and nutmeg tones. All of this is topped with a fresh banana fosters topping made with rum, dark brown sugar, pecans, and spices. Be sure to make some classic beignets to add to the dessert table too!
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What is bananas foster and where did it come from?
Bananas Foster was a dessert created in the New Orleans French Quarter by Ella Brennan, and is stilled served today at Brennan's Restaurant. The dessert consists of bananas, rum, brown sugar, and cinnamon. It is traditionally flambeed tableside then served with vanilla ice cream.
The legendary dessert was named after Richard Foster at a dinner given in his honor by the proprietor, Ralph Brennan. Over at the Thrillist we learn that the restaurants renowned chef Paul Blange who worked with Ella to create this delicious dessert still may haunt the renowned establishment.
If this is your first time making a cheesecake or if you are a seasoned veteran of making them in the oven, this is a simple recipe to learn how to make a cheesecake in the Instant Pot!
Prepping the cookie crust
Start by greasing a springform pan with either butter or cooking spray. Put about 20 vanilla wafer cookies in a gallon plastic bag and seal. Using a rolling pin gently roll to crush the cookies. If you don't have a rolling pin crush with your hands or a can of vegetables.
Combine in a small mixing bowl the crushed cookies, melted butter, chopped pecans, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix together until well combined.
Put the crust mixture into the prepared springform pan. Gently spread around the bottom of the pan, and up the sides slightly with a spoon or mini spatula. Put the pan in the refrigerator for a minimum of 15 minutes to chill.
Prepare the cheesecake filling
The filling for this Instant Pot Cheesecake starts with full-fat cream cheese that has been softened to room temperature by putting it in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar, and cream together with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer.
Next, beat in the eggs one at a time.
Add to the cream cheese mixture the heavy whipping cream, flour, vanilla, dark rum, cinnamon, and nutmeg then mix in.
Mash one large ripe banana looking to yield about ¾ cup of mashed banana. Fold into the cream cheese filling with a spatula or mixing spoon.
Cooking the Instant Pot Cheesecake
Pour the prepared cheesecake filling into the prepare springform pan. Cover both top and bottom of the pan with aluminum foil.
Add 1 ½ cups of water to your Instant Pot, and then lower cheesecake into pot on top of rack. I use a 6-Quart Instant Pot Duo for this recipe. Seal the lid then cook on high pressure (normal) for 35 minutes followed with a 10 minute natural pressure release.
Once done cooking remove from the pot to cool on a wire for one hour leaving the cheesecake covered. Once the hour is up place in the coolest part of your refrigerator for 8 hours to overnight.
Once completely cooled and chilled remove from the springform pan. To do this take a small sharp knife and run around the sides of the pan.
Then gently open to loosen the sides the remainder of the way. Take a thin metal spatula and gently lift around the edges to begin to loosen in about four or five spots. Gently slide the spatula underneath to loosen then remove to plate.
Tip: This can be made a few days ahead prior to finishing if planning to take to a potluck or party.
Cook the bananas foster topping
Flambeeing is a technique that is used for dramatic effect to burn off alcohol content while leaving behind just the flavor in the dish. We are NOT flambeeing this version, however, we will reduce it in order to cook off the alcohol content while leaving behind the flavor of the rum thus achieving the same effect.
Turn the Instant Pot on to saute mode, and once heated add in the butter to melt. I used unsalted butter for this recipe. Once the butter is melted add in the dark brown sugar and stir then let cook for a couple of minutes. Next add in a pinch of salt and the rum. Cook for about five minutes.
To finish, add in the heavy whipping cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg then stir until combined cooking for an additional two minutes.
Pour the sauce into a small bowl then add the sliced banana and pecans. Add an additional dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to this mixture then stir together. Once combined pour on top of the cooled and chilled cheesecake.
Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to one week. Be sure to serve this with some red beans and rice.
If you enjoyed this recipe then you may like Instant Pot Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake, Healthier Chocolate Banana Oat Bread, or you may want to check out this huge list of 28 Irresistible Instant Pot Desserts!
Recipe
Instant Pot Bananas Foster Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 20 vanilla wafer cookies crushed
- 4 tablespoon butter melted
- ¼ cup pecans chopped
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Filling
- 2 8 ounce packages of cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ tablespoon flour
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 banana large, and mashed; should measure about ¾ cup
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
Bananas Foster Topping
- 4 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup dark rum
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
- 2 bananas sliced
- ¼ cup pecans roughly chopped
Instructions
Crust
- Melt the butter in the microwave, then add all crust ingredients to a small bowl and mix together. Press the cookie crust in a pre-greased springform pan then put in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to chill.
Filling
- Using a stand or hand mixer beat together the softened cream cheese and sugar. Next beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Mix in the heavy cream, flour, vanilla, rum, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Next fold in the mashed banana with a spoon or spatula by hand. Pour into the prepared springform pan. Cover top and bottom with aluminum foil.
- Put 1 ½ cups of water in the liner of the pressure cooker. Set the cheesecake into the pot with the rack. Seal the lid, cook on high pressure (normal) for 35 minutes, and then follow with a 10 minute natural pressure release.
- Remove from Instant Pot to cool on wire rack for one hour, and then place in the refrigerator. Chill for 8 hours or overnight.
Bananas Foster Topping
- Turn on the Instant Pot to saute mode, and then put the butter in to melt. Once melted add the brown sugar and cook for a couple of minutes stirring constantly.
- Next add a pinch of salt and the rum. Cook stirring constantly for about 5 minutes. Add the heavy whipping cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir and cook an additional 2 minutes.
- Pour sauce into a small bowl then add the sliced banana, and chopped nuts. Stir together then gently pour onto the top of the cheesecake.
- Serve immediately topped with whipped topping or keep in refrigerator covered for up to one week.