Banana-Walnut Cheesecake

All of the flavors of banana walnut bread that your mom used to make but in the form of a cheesecake.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• Crust

• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1  cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1⁄2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
• 1⁄3 cup butter, melted
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon

• Filling

• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 4  eggs
• 1  banana, well mashed
• 3⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1  teaspoon lemon zest
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. To make crust: blend crumbs, walnuts, sugar, cinnamon.
3. Mix in melted butter until mixture is crumbly.
4. Press mixture into bottom of 9 inch springform pan.
5. Bake 5 minutes. Cool.
6. To make filling: beat cream cheese until light.
7. Add sugars.
8. Add 1 egg at a time taking care not to over mix.
9. Add zest, vanilla, and cinnamon.
10. Stir in well mashed banana until incorporated.
11. Pour into cooled pan.
12. Bake 20 minutes at 325°F.
13. Rotate pan and bake 25 minutes at 275°F.
14. Rotate pan and bake at 225F until center is just set approximately 15 minutes longer.
15. Let cool in oven until room temperature. Set in refrigerator until well chilled.