This Isn’t Traditional Banana Pudding
Let me show you a delicious variation of banana pudding. This isn’t traditional banana pudding—rather, it’s a version made with brown sugar caramelized bananas and fluffy cinnamon spiced whipped cream on top. Classic southern banana pudding is typically made with fresh bananas and a meringue topping. My favorite real homemade banana pudding is found on Grand Baby Cakes—have you tried Jocelyn’s version yet? It’s unreal. But it’s fun to play around with different flavors and variations. If you love cinnamon, brown sugar, real homemade pudding, billowy whipped cream, and bananas (raises hand so high), this dessert is totally for you.
4 Parts to Caramelized Banana Pudding
Homemade Vanilla Pudding
If you ever need a vanilla pudding, use this one. It’s my favorite—perfectly creamy and sweet, extra soft and buttery, and easy to make ahead of time. I love using this pudding in a trifle, layering it with sliced strawberries, cubes of brown butter pound cake, and topped with whipped cream. The recipe yields 4 cups. You need the 8 ingredients pictured above: whole milk, heavy cream, sugar, salt, egg yolks, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and softened butter. Cook those 1st 4 ingredients together on the stove, mix the egg yolks and cornstarch together (below, left), then temper the egg yolks into the milk mixture. Whisk constantly, cook together, then remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and butter. The stovetop process is similar to butterscotch pudding. If you know how to whisk, you know how to make homemade pudding. It’s simple.
Overview: How to Make & Assemble
This is the easiest part of the entire recipe—you can’t really mess it up. Line half of the vanilla wafers on the bottom of your dish. Evenly top with half of the caramelized bananas. Give the pudding a quick stir. If it has thickened considerably and isn’t pourable, whisk in a splash of milk to help thin out. Pour/spread half of the warm pudding on top. Top with remaining vanilla wafers, then the remaining caramelized bananas. Finish with the rest of the pudding, then spread whipped cream in a generous layer all over the top. Chill the dessert for at least 4 hours and up to 1 day. The pudding will thicken, the flavors will mingle, and the vanilla wafers will soften. After or close to 24 hours, the wafers may taste too soggy and the bananas will begin to release some liquid. For best taste and texture, serve within 24 hours.
More Banana Recipes
Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie Chocolate Marble Banana Bundt Cake Quick and Easy Banana Muffins Banana Cake Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars
I love these French wine glasses for parfaits. (Pictured in my Butterscotch Pudding.) You can also make this banana pudding in a 3 quart (or slightly smaller/larger) trifle bowl. That one is my favorite. I used it in my lemon berry trifle photos.
