Description
A nostalgic, no-bake Southern dessert featuring layers of vanilla wafers, ripe bananas, and a creamy pudding made from instant mix and freshly whipped cream. It requires patience to set but delivers a comforting, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boxes (3.4 oz each) Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
- 4 cups (960ml) Cold Whole Milk
- 2 cups (480ml) Heavy Whipping Cream
- ½ cup (60g) Confectioners’ Sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 package (14.7 oz) Vanilla Wafers (Nilla Wafers)
- 6–8 medium Ripe Bananas
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Peel bananas and slice into ¼-inch rounds. Toss slices with lemon juice to prevent browning.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk instant vanilla pudding mix and cold whole milk vigorously for 2 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes until thickened.
- In a separate cold bowl, whip heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Fold half of the whipped cream into the pudding to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until uniform and fluffy.
- In a 9×13 glass dish, create layers: start with vanilla wafers, then banana slices, then pudding mixture. Repeat for 3 layers total, finishing with pudding.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, to allow wafers to soften.
- Serve chilled with optional toppings like extra whipped cream or chocolate shavings.
Notes
Patience is key; the pudding must chill for at least 4 hours to allow the wafers to soften. Use cold milk and cold cream for best results. Bananas should be ripe but not brown. Do not freeze, as the texture will suffer.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Southern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice from a 9x13
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 180
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
Keywords: banana pudding, southern dessert, vanilla wafers, no-bake dessert, comfort food, make-ahead dessert, nostalgic dessert