Easy Banana Cheesecake

Combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar until mixed. Cover bottom of a 10-inch springform pan with crust mixture.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the remaining ingredients and mix. Pour into the crust.

Bake for 1 hour. Let cool in the oven for 1 hour. Do not open the oven door until cool. Chill before serving.

Cook's Notes: Garnish your cheesecake with freshly chopped fruits such as bananas or strawberries to add a delicious freshness to each bite.

If you're in the mood for something decadent, a drizzle of chocolate sauce and a few maraschino cherries are the perfect way to garnish without overpowering the banana flavor of the dessert.

The best cheesecakes are smooth as silk, and the only way to get to this point is to beat your batter until all the lumps are completely gone. Beating it for a minute extra also helps to aerate the mixture and achieve a satiny texture.

Bring your cream cheese to room temperature before mixing it into the batter. This prevents your batter from getting lumpy.