Description
Magnolia Bakery’s Famous Banana Pudding is a classic, creamy dessert featuring layers of vanilla wafers, ripe bananas, and a luscious vanilla pudding mixed with whipped cream. It’s a crowd-pleaser that’s simple to assemble and perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pudding:
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 ½ cups ice-cold water
- 1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix (Jell-O brand recommended)
Additional Ingredients:
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1 (11 oz) box vanilla wafers (Nabisco Nilla Wafers recommended)
- 5 ripe bananas, sliced
Instructions
- Make the Pudding: In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and ice-cold water until smooth.
- Add the Instant Pudding Mix: Add the instant vanilla pudding mix and whisk for 2 minutes, until the pudding thickens.
- Set the Pudding Aside: Let the pudding mixture firm up while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- Whip the Cream: In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form, which should take about 3-5 minutes.
- Combine Pudding and Whipped Cream: Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until fully combined and smooth.
- Assemble the Banana Pudding: In a 9×13-inch dish, layer vanilla wafers evenly at the bottom.
- Add Banana Layer: Place a layer of sliced bananas over the vanilla wafers.
- Add Pudding Layer: Spoon about one-third of the pudding mixture over the bananas and wafers, spreading evenly.
- Repeat Layers: Repeat the layers with remaining wafers, bananas, and pudding, finishing with a pudding layer on top.
- Chill: Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to let the flavors meld and pudding to firm up.
- Serve: Garnish with extra vanilla wafers on top or crush some wafers and sprinkle them for added texture before serving.
Notes
- For best results, use ripe but firm bananas to prevent excessive browning.
- Allow the pudding to chill overnight for a creamier texture and better flavor melding.
- You can substitute heavy cream with whipping cream if preferred, but heavy cream yields richer results.
- Use fresh vanilla wafers for optimal crunch; store any leftovers in an airtight container to maintain crispness.
- For a lighter version, reduce the heavy cream or substitute part of it with milk, though texture will vary.
