🍌 Banana Pudding Cheesecake Salad 🍌
Ingredients
8 oz (1 block) full-fat cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix (dry, not prepared)
3 cups cold heavy whipping cream, divided
¼ cup powdered sugar
2 cups Nilla wafers (or similar vanilla sandwich cookies), lightly crushed or left whole
2 cups miniature marshmallows
4 ripe but firm bananas (about 2 cups sliced)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Prepare the cheesecake base: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth and airy, about 1–2 minutes.
Add pudding mix: Gradually incorporate the dry instant vanilla pudding mix, mixing until fully blended. The mixture may appear slightly grainy—that’s normal.
Stream in cream: With the mixer on low, slowly drizzle in 1½ cups of the cold heavy cream, adding it 1 tablespoon at a time to ensure smooth emulsification. Continue beating until the mixture is thick and uniform.
Sweeten: Add the powdered sugar and beat until fully dissolved and incorporated.
Whip the remaining cream: In a separate clean bowl, whip the remaining 1½ cups of heavy cream to stiff peaks using a hand or stand mixer.
Fold together: Using a silicone spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake mixture until no streaks remain and the texture is light and billowy.
Prep bananas: Slice bananas into ½-inch rounds and toss immediately with lemon juice to prevent browning.
Combine mix-ins: Gently fold the lemon-coated banana slices, Nilla wafers, and miniature marshmallows into the creamy base. Reserve a small handful of each for topping.
Serve: Transfer the salad to a decorative serving bowl or trifle dish. Scatter the reserved bananas, cookies, and marshmallows over the top for visual appeal. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.