Banana pudding is a classic Southern dessert that’s creamy, sweet, and packed with layers of fresh bananas and vanilla wafers. Making it from scratch might sound intimidating, but with simple ingredients and easy steps, you can create a rich, flavorful pudding that beats any boxed mix. Here’s a friendly, step-by-step guide to making banana pudding from scratch that’s sure to impress family and friends.
What You’ll Need
– 2 ½ cups whole milk
– ½ cup heavy cream
– 3 large egg yolks
– 1 whole egg
– ¾ cup granulated sugar
– 3–4 tablespoons cornstarch
– 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
– 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
– ¼ teaspoon salt
– 4 large ripe but firm bananas
– About 30 vanilla wafers (Nilla wafers work great)
– Fresh whipped cream (optional, for topping)
Step 1: Make the Homemade Vanilla Pudding
The heart of banana pudding is the creamy vanilla custard. Here’s how to make it from scratch:
- Heat the milk and cream: In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and heavy cream. Warm over medium heat until it just starts to simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Mix the eggs and dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until smooth.
- Temper the eggs: Slowly pour a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. This raises the temperature of the eggs gently, preventing them from scrambling.
- Combine and thicken: Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until the pudding thickens and coats the back of a spoon-about 5 to 8 minutes. Do not let it boil.
- Finish the pudding: Remove from heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
- Chill: Pour the pudding through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove lumps. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until cooled.
Step 2: Prepare the Bananas and Wafers
While the pudding chills, slice your bananas into thin rounds. To keep them from browning, you can dip the slices briefly in lemon juice.
Step 3: Assemble Your Banana Pudding
Now for the fun part-layering!
- Start with a layer of vanilla wafers at the bottom of your serving dish or trifle bowl.
- Add a layer of banana slices over the wafers.
- Spoon a layer of the chilled vanilla pudding over the bananas, spreading evenly.
- Repeat the layers-wafers, bananas, pudding-until you use all your ingredients, finishing with a layer of pudding on top.
Step 4: Chill and Serve
Cover your assembled banana pudding with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. This resting time allows the wafers to soften and the flavors to meld beautifully.
Before serving, you can add a generous topping of freshly whipped cream and garnish with extra banana slices or crushed wafers for a pretty finish.
Tips for the Best Banana Pudding
– Use fresh, firm bananas to avoid mushiness.
– Don’t skip tempering the eggs-it’s key for a smooth pudding.
– Chill the pudding well to let it set perfectly.
– Layer in a glass dish to show off the beautiful layers.
– Make it a day ahead for best flavor and texture.
Banana pudding from scratch is a comforting, crowd-pleasing dessert that’s surprisingly simple to make. With homemade vanilla custard, fresh bananas, and crisp wafers, you’ll enjoy a luscious treat that’s worth every step.
Ready to try it out? Let me know if you want tips on variations or how to make whipped cream from scratch!