Banana Foster Cheesecake

Crust:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. (packed) brown sugar

• 2 - 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 3 lg. eggs
• 2 cups pureed bananas (about 4 bananas)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1-1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. dark rum
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tbsp. ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt

Topping:

• Sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping
• 8 oz. caramel sauce
• 1 tbsp. dark rum
• Bananas, peeled and sliced

• Finely chopped pecans (optional)

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Wrap outside of 9-inch diameter springform pan (3-inch high sides) with heavy-duty foil. Combine flour, pecans, butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in large bowl. Mix well. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in cornstarch. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just blended after each addition. Add pureed banana, sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla, rum, cinnamon and salt. Beat just until combined.
Transfer filling to crust-lined pan. Place springform in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan.
Bake until center of cake is just set, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven until cooled to room temperature, about 2 hours. Refrigerate cake until well chilled. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Cut around cake to loosen; remove pan sides. Transfer cake to platter. Warm caramel sauce in small saucepan over low heat, stirring often. Mix in rum.
Decorate top of cake with sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping. Sprinkle with some finely chopped pecans (optional). Arrange sliced bananas around edge of cake. Drizzle sauce decoratively over cake. May serve leftover sauce on the side for drizzling.