Bananas, Nilla Wafers, pudding, and whipped cream – oh my! New York’s Magnolia Bakery is known for their banana pudding and was on our list of foods to eat when we went for a visit.
The bakery published a cookbook which included their famous recipe and I wanted to make it for comparison. I can confirm it’s delicious and the same pudding they sell in their stores!
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Notes
Full fat – Do not use reduced fat items for that top tier Magnolia Bakery taste. Full fat condensed milk, Nilla Wafers, and heavy cream work the best.
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Tips
Allow time to prepare the pudding mixture in advance. It needs to set properly before being folded into the whipping cream.
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Storage
Save any remaining pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The bananas will start to turn brown and lose a nice texture if stored for too long.
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Magnolia Bakery’s Famous Banana Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk
- 1½ cups cold water
- 1 3.4 ounce box of instant vanilla pudding
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 4 cups just ripe bananas sliced
- 1 12 ounce box of Nilla Wafers
Instructions
- Pour the condensed milk and water into a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat together until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the pudding mix and beat well, about 2 minutes.
- Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight. It is very important to allow the proper amount of time for the pudding mixture to set so it will not be watery.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until no streaks of pudding remain.
- The dessert can be made in a large glass bowl with 4-5 quart capacity (a 9×13 baking dish also works).
- To assemble, arrange 1/3 of the Nilla Wafers covering the bottom, overlapping if necessary. Next, layer 1/3 of the bananas, and 1/3 of the pudding mixture.
- Repeat twice more, garnishing with additional wafers or wafer crumbs on the top layer.
- Cover tightly and allow to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or up to 8 hours.
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