magnolia bakery banana pudding (small scale!)
Sharing a smaller scale version of the famous Magnolia Bakery banana pudding!
have you ever had Magnolia Bakery banana pudding?
Living in New York it is almost impossible to have missed the frenzy around Magnolia Bakery, thanks to a cameo appearance on Sex and the City way back in 2000. The bakery became a tourist magnet for years, so of course I avoided the place like any proud New Yorker.
And if I were to venture in, it would only be for a vanilla/vanilla cupcake – I had NO idea that their banana pudding was basically cult level status.
a dear friend’s birthday forced my hand!
I don’t even know how the subject came up, but very late into this friendship I learned that one of his top five desserts was – you guessed it – Magnolia’s banana pudding. And as his birthday was coming up I knew what I had to do.
I was a little nervous because a) it’s always a challenge to recreate an iconic recipe that someone holds dear, and b) would I even be able to find it?
this recipe is EVERYWHERE!
Turned out “b” was not a problem at all. This recipe has been well published and so was very easy to find. Only time would tell if it was going to be as good as the bakery’s but I was on my way.
What I didn’t expect was the scale of the recipe – it is HUGE, way too much for one person. I looked far and wide for a smaller recipe, convinced that SOMEONE had gotten there before me, but to no avail. So I decided to simply halve the ingredients, which still resulted in a very generous amount.
what ingredients do you need?
I was relieved to discover how easy-peasy this recipe is, with a short and simple ingredient list:
- sweetened condensed milk
- instant vanilla pudding mix
- heavy cream
- Nilla wafers
- bananas
how do you make it?
Start by mixing the condensed milk, ice water and pudding mix, then refrigerate till firm. Beat heavy cream till stiff peaks form, then beat the chilled pudding mix in.
Now comes the fun part – layering! I used a vintage Pyrex bowl but any container will work. You’ll layer the pudding with the Nilla wafers and banana slices till you’ve used up all the ingredients, refrigerate for a few hours and serve!
make this pudding in advance but serve immediately!
Much like an icebox cake, the Nilla wafers need time to absorb the pudding and get a little soft. Once it’s ready though you want to serve within a day as the bananas don’t really hold up well beyond that.
my sweet friend LOVED it!
In addition to not having to drive down to the city to get it for himself, my friend declared this recipe to be spot on to his beloved dessert, and I couldn’t have been more pleased.
This is a really easy dessert to make and I hope you try it – let me know if you do!
Small Scale Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk, about 1 fluid cup
- 3/4 cup ice cold water
- one-half package instant vanilla pudding mix from a 3.4-ounce box, about 1/3 cup
- 1 1/2 cups well chilled heavy cream
- Nilla wafers
- 4 ripe bananas
Instructions
- Beat the condensed milk and water till smooth. Add the pudding mix and beat again until smooth. Cover and refrigerate till firm, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
- Beat the cream till stiff peaks form, being careful not to overbeat. Add the chilled pudding mixture, a spoonful at a time, beating on low speed after each addition.
- In a large bowl, pan or container spoon one-fourth of the pudding over the bottom, spreading into an even layer. Top with a layer of Nilla wafers followed by a layer of sliced bananas. Repeat layering, finishing with the pudding mixture. Top with Nilla wafers if desired.
- Cover and refrigerate for 4 - 6 hours, so that the wafers absorb the pudding mixture and soften. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated for up to 8 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
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8 Comments
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Hi! I'm Sheri!
Welcome to my little corner of the web where you’ll find easy, delicious recipes, the best kitchen hacks and simple tips for turning your home into a clean haven that is free of toxins. So glad you’re here!
Loved It !
So glad! Thank you! 🙂
I LOVE banana pudding. I heard of Magnolia Bakery, but never stopped by when my twin sister and I went to New York for our birthday in October. Now, we’re able to try their most popular dessert on their menu at home. It’s simple to make and it’s amazing. I appreciate you sharing this recipe with us.
I’m so glad! I love this scaled down version! 🙂
I’m confused about the 8 ounces of liquid measurement meant for the condensed milk. Because the cans come in 14 ounces and when you measure that out in a measuring cup, it only comes up to 8 ounces which uses up the whole can. So I should really just be measuring out 4 ounces in my measuring cup?
Because condensed milk can come in various sizes I wanted to be sure about the actual measurement, which is why I added on the “1 fluid cup” – meaning it should be measured in a liquid measure (like a Pyrex, with a spout) versus solid. I hope this helps!
What size dish do you use for this recipe? (Banana pudding)
I used a 2 1/2 quart bowl but it doesn’t have to be exact!