New York Style Banana Pudding (Magnolia Bakery Recipe)

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There are a handful of desserts that become destinations in themselves, and New York-style banana pudding is one of them. If you’ve ever heard people rave about the famous banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery, you know it’s more than just a dessert—it’s the kind of treat people happily wait in line for and dream about long after the last spoonful.

What if you didn’t need a trip to New York to experience that same magic in a cup?

This homemade New York-style Banana Pudding is inspired by the famous Magnolia Bakery favorite. It uses simple ingredients in the right way to recreate the creamy, nostalgic experience. 

Several layers of creamy vanilla pudding with fresh bananas, Nilla wafers, and soft cake crumbles that soak into the pudding as it chills. Every scoop is creamy, light, and packed with just the right balance of banana flavor and vanilla sweetness. It’s decadent, but not too heavy, which makes it perfect for a summer barbecue or family gathering. It’s the kind of recipe that will get scraped clean. No streaks of pudding will be left behind!

Why You’ll Love This New York Style Banana Pudding

• New York Experience at home! The minute we tried Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding, we knew we had to find a way to recreate it at home! We have to say it tastes just as good- if not better because it’s fresh out of the dish!
• Whipped and light in texture! Whipped cream is folded into the sweet vanilla pudding to create a delicious, light, silky texture. 
• A comforting cold treat, perfect for a warm day! One bite of this banana pudding is nostalgic and comforting. And when this pudding mixture is layered with the vanilla wafers, fresh bananas, and vanilla cake, it is a treat!

How to Make Banana Pudding, Step by Step

Step 1. Make the vanilla pudding mix.

There are a few layers to this banana pudding, so we’re keeping things simple, starting with a boxed vanilla pudding mix. 

The vanilla pudding will take a couple of hours to thicken and chill in the fridge, so do this first. 

Using an electric stand mixer with the whisk attachment, together condensed milk and water. The water will help to dilute the condensed milk. Once the condensed milk is thoroughly blended, mix in the vanilla pudding mix. We used Jello Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix for this recipe. 

Once blended, pour the pudding into an airtight container, seal, and chill the pudding in the fridge for at least 2 hours. As it chills, it will set

Step 2. Make a boxed vanilla cake. Let it cool completely.

Cake in banana pudding is the addition you didn’t know you needed…until now! It’s not traditional, but trust us! The cake adds a delicious crumb-like texture to the pudding that will keep you scooping for more.

We’re keeping things simple and using a boxed vanilla cake mix. Follow the package instructions to make the cake, then let it cool completely before assembling the pudding layers. 

Tip: Make sure the cake is completely cooled before you assemble the banana pudding. Warm cake may melt the pudding. 

Step 3. Fold whipped cream into the pudding. 

In an electric stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. 

Add the chilled pudding to a large bowl and fold the whipped cream into the pudding until it is evenly blended and fluffy.

Step 4. Assemble pudding in a trifle dish.

Here’s how we recommend assembling the pudding:

1. Layer of vanilla pudding
2. Vanilla cake crumbles
3. Slices of fresh banana
4. Vanilla wafers
5. Repeat with pudding and the rest of the layers.

You should be able to create two full layers plus a topping of pudding. Finish the trifle with extra whipped cream, cake crumbles, vanilla wafers, and slices of bananas.

Cover the pudding in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for 1-2 hours. As the pudding chills, it will set, and the vanilla wafers will soften. Use a large spoon to scoop through all the yummy layers!

Serving suggestions: Scoop through all the layers and serve in small paper cups to make individual portions. 

Tips for Making New York Style Banana Pudding

• Chill the banana pudding for 1-2 hours before serving. This extra chill time will soften the vanilla wafers and help to meld all the flavors together.
• Reserve a few toppings for the very end. Make sure to save some whipped cream, vanilla wafers, cake crumbles, and fresh banana slices to garnish the top of the pudding trifle.
• Don’t crush the vanilla wafers too finely. Lay the whole vanilla wafers in an even layer. Leaving the wafers in larger pieces allows them to soften into the perfect cake-like texture as the trifle chills.
• Use a clear trifle dish if you have one. If presentation is important to you, a glass trifle bowl showcases all the beautiful layers.

How to Store Leftover Banana Pudding

Cover the trifle tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The bananas may soften over time, but the dessert will remain delicious.

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