Southern-Style Banana Pudding with Vanilla Wafer Layers

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

This creamy banana pudding features ripe bananas layered with vanilla wafers and smooth vanilla custard, chilled to perfection for a classic Southern dessert. This Southern American-inspired recipe, ready in about 20 minutes, layers instant vanilla pudding mix, cold whole milk, sweetened condensed milk into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 310 calories and feeds 8, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 20 min Serves 8 Southern American cuisine 310 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix, 2 1/2 cups cold whole milk, and 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes.
  2. Step 2: Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract to enhance the flavor.
  3. Step 3: In a separate chilled bowl, beat 1 cup heavy whipping cream with 2 tbsp granulated sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form.
  4. Step 4: Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until smooth and fluffy.
  5. Step 5: Slice 3 large ripe bananas into 1/4-inch thick rounds.
  6. Step 6: In a 2-quart glass dish, spread a thin layer of pudding mixture, then add a layer of vanilla wafers (about 15 wafers), followed by half of the banana slices.
  7. Step 7: Repeat layering with another third of the pudding, remaining wafers, and remaining bananas.
  8. Step 8: Top with the remaining pudding and smooth the surface.
  9. Step 9: Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow the wafers to soften and flavors to meld.
  10. Step 10: Serve chilled, optionally garnished with extra wafers or banana slices.

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