Vintage Banana Pudding Recipe
A from-scratch Southern banana pudding built on real cooked custard instead of instant mix, with the bananas mashed right in for flavor in every bite. Make it the day before and let it rest overnight.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract divided
- 6 very ripe bananas mashed well
- 1 box vanilla wafers about 50 cookies
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon for topping
Instructions
- Heat 2 cups whole milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Do not boil.
- In a second medium saucepan, whisk 4 large egg yolks with 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup cornstarch, and 1/3 teaspoon salt until smooth.
- Slowly whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture until combined. Return the pan to medium heat and whisk constantly until the custard thickens and just comes to a boil, about 3 to 4 minutes. Keep whisking; it thickens quickly.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Strain the custard into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin. Refrigerate until fully cooled, at least 1 hour.
- Once the custard is completely cool, mash 6 very ripe bananas very well with a fork until nearly smooth. Fold into the custard until combined. The mixture will loosen and firm back up as it chills.
- Place a single layer of about 45 vanilla wafers across the bottom of a 9x13-inch dish. Spread half the banana custard evenly over the wafers. Add a second layer of wafers, then spread the remaining custard over top. Or, spoon some crushed nilla wafers into the bottom of individual serving dishes, top with custard, then finish with more crushed wafers.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Overnight is strongly preferred.
- Just before serving, beat 2 cups heavy whipping cream with 3 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Do not overwhip.
- Spread or dollop the whipped cream over the chilled pudding. Scatter 8 crumbled vanilla wafers over top and finish with a pinch of ground cinnamon. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Whisk the custard constantly once it hits the heat. It goes from liquid to thick in under a minute and scorches the second you stop or step away.
- Don't fold in the bananas until the custard is fully cold. Warm custard thins out when the bananas go in and won't firm back up the way it should.
- Whip and add the cream only right before serving. It weeps and goes flat if it sits on the pudding for hours.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 298kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 4gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 97mgPotassium: 319mgFiber: 2gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 802IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 88mgIron: 0.4mg
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
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