Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine crushed vanilla wafers and melted butter until damp yet crumbly. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan to create a crust. Bake for 10 minutes or until slightly golden.

In a large mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, then blend in mashed bananas and vanilla extract.

Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, then fold in the banana pudding mix until smooth.

Carefully fold the banana cream mixture into the cream cheese mixture using a spatula without over-mixing.

Pour the cheesecake batter over the cooled crust and smooth the top. Bake for 50-55 minutes until edges are set and the center jiggles slightly.

Once baked, cool for 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

Before serving, remove the sides of the springform pan and garnish with sliced bananas and additional vanilla wafers.