Magnolia Bakery‑Style Banana Pudding
A creamy, dreamy layered banana pudding inspired by Magnolia Bakery in New York made with instant vanilla pudding, whipped cream, bananas, and vanilla wafers.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowls
- Electric mixer / whisk
- Trifle bowl or glass serving bowl
Ingredients
Pudding / Cream Mixture
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1½ cups ice‑cold water
- 1 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
Layers
- 1 box (≈11–12 oz) vanilla wafers Reserve some for topping
- 4–5 bananas sliced slightly under-ripe
- vanilla extract optional, a splash for the whipped cream
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and ice‑cold water until fully combined (about 1 minute)
- Add the instant vanilla pudding mix and whisk until smooth, with no lumps (about 2 minutes)
- Cover the pudding mixture and refrigerate until firm (at least 1 hour, preferably 3–4 hours or overnight)
- In another bowl, whip the heavy cream (and optional splash of vanilla) until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overwhip.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the set pudding mixture until fully combined and no streaks remain.
- To assemble, choose a trifle bowl or wide glass serving dish. Begin with a layer of pudding, then a layer of vanilla wafers, then a layer of banana slices. Repeat layering (approximately 3 layers), ending with a top layer of pudding. Garnish with reserved wafers or wafer crumbs.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (up to 8 or more, but bananas may brown) before serving
Notes
- Use slightly under‑ripe bananas to slow browning.
- Brush banana slices lightly with lemon juice.
- Serve ideally within 8-12 hours of assembly to preserve texture and banana color.