Banana Pudding
Here’s a Banana Pudding recipe to die for! This one has Caramel sauce squirted on each layer making it incredibly irresistible but also rich and decadent. This dessert is fabulous, fattening, and tastes utterly divine! Banana Pudding is one of my husband’s favorite desserts.
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I’m not sure if it’s because the dessert is loaded with bananas or the creamy filling. My recipe is richer than the standard Eagle Brand Milk recipe because it has the addition of cream cheese in the pudding mix. Not only that, it’s a wonderful, light and fluffy dessert for potlucks or to wow your company–especially if you add caramel sauce.
The nice thing about Banana Pudding is how EASY it is to make! It only has a few ingredients but it is big on taste. You layer the dessert with vanilla wafers, a cream pudding mixture of instant vanilla pudding and pie filling mix, cream cheese, condensed milk and whipped topping and another layer of bananas.
I’ve always swished my sliced bananas in a little lemon juice to protect them from becoming brown. Then after a layer of bananas I squirt caramel sauce over top of the bananas. I repeat the layers three times, followed by a layer of whipped topping and caramel sauce/syrup on the top. Talk about yum!
My original recipe came from Beverly Phillips when we both worked together at the Baptist General Convention of Texas in the late 90s and early 2000s. The caramel addition came from Angela Russell, one of the young wives in our Sunday school class at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Cedar Hill, Texas, who used my same basic recipe but squirted caramel sauce over top each layer of bananas when she made it.
I’ve taken to using Angela’s recipe a little more because everyone loves the addition of caramel sauce which makes this dessert even richer.
If you’re looking for a scrumptious Banana Pudding recipe you need to check out this lovely version. It’s spectacular. While I try not to overdo the sweets these days I broke down and made a big batch of this for my husband, ahem, so he could enjoy this tasty dessert. Boy is he going to celebrate!
When I initially posted this recipe in July 2012, my blog had only been going for a month. While my pictures were okay, I was still using an iPhone 3 for a camera, plus I was taking pictures inside (and not anywhere near a window), so the pictures were darker than I liked.
I recently remade this recipe for company (June 2016) and retook the pictures so you will be able to drool a little more. 🙂
Here are a couple of thoughts to help you with this delicious Banana Pudding. I swish the bananas in lemon juice and then drain on paper towels before using. Try to use just barely ripe bananas without the seeds going black like they do the older the bananas get.
Don’t worry about the dessert or the bananas tasting bitter from the lemon juice. You won’t even be able to taste it if you use the caramel sauce over each layer. Also, try to save out about 10-12 of the nicest shaped vanilla wafers for the top garnish.
No one will see the crumbly ones inside the layers. Finally, I used at least twice as much caramel sauce in the pictures as you really need for this recipe to turn out well. Unless you like extremely sweet desserts, don’t be as heavy handed with the caramel sauce.
I did that specifically to be able to see it in the layers for the pictures. When I served this dessert a couple of days ago everyone RAVED over it. Everyone went back for seconds, but truly you don’t need to use almost a full bottle of caramel sauce (which I did) to make this dessert amazing. Use a little self-control. 🙂
One additional thought. Unfortunately, this dessert cannot be made too far in advance. I made this about 5 hours before serving it. That gave it enough time to refrigerate and get good and cold, but not long enough that the bananas start discoloring or get mushy.
You can make it in the morning for an evening dessert, but don’t try to make it the night before, or I’m afraid the dessert will not be as appealing as you would like. Even if you use lemon juice on the bananas, it will only keep them fresher a short length of time. I hope you enjoy Banana Pudding with Caramel Sauce as much as our company did.
Banana Pudding is a gorgeous dessert and it tastes wonderful too. We love to make this for company because everyone just raves over it.
Here is a close up of Banana Pudding in an individual parfait dish.
We prefer our Banana Pudding with the caramel sauce over top and on each layer.
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients.
In a mixing bowl, add French vanilla pudding and pie filling mix. Add milk to the pudding mix.
Beat with an electric mixer until thickened.
Soften cream cheese. Beat with a mixer until creamy.
Add whipped cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. Evaporated milk is NOT the same as sweetened condensed milk.
Mix with an electric mixer until combined.
Add half of the 16-oz. container of whipped topping.
Stir with a spoon or rubber spatula until combined.
Soak banana slices in lemon juice. Drain on paper towels before using.
Reserve 10-12 of the nicest vanilla wafers for garnish. Set aside.
To layer the dessert: Place vanilla wafers in glass trifle dish or parfait dishes. You will get four layers in a trifle dish but only two layers in a parfait dish.
Spoon a layer of pie filling mix over the vanilla wafers. Add a layer of sliced bananas. Then squirt caramel sauce over top. (I would cut the amount of caramel sauce in half. I used this much just for the pictures).
Layer another row of vanilla wafers.
Add another layer of vanilla pudding, bananas and caramel sauce. (Again, I would use about one third of the caramel sauce used here).
Repeat with another layer of vanilla wafers.
Add the third layer of pudding, bananas and squirt with caramel sauce. (Use about half this amount).
Repeat with the fourth and final layer of vanilla wafers.
Add the fourth layer of pudding, bananas and squirt with caramel sauce.
Cover with remaining whipped topping. Squirt with caramel sauce. Place extra reserved vanilla wafers into the whipped topping. Garnish with maraschino cherries, if desired.
Banana Pudding is one of our favorite desserts.
Our friends just kept going back for more and more of this irresistible dessert. I recommend that you only make this for company because it only lasts for about 8 hours. After that the bananas will get too soft and discolor. Because of that, this makes a great dessert to take to potlucks and backyard barbecues with neighbors or friends.
Every spoonful of Banana Pudding will have you drooling. The caramel sauce makes this dessert so rich, decadent and spectacular.
Here’s the recipe.
BANANA PUDDING
(Recipe from Beverly Phillips, when we worked together at the Baptist General Convention of Texas, and Angela Russell when we attended Hillcrest Baptist Church, Cedar Hill, TX)
Banana Pudding
Equipment
- 1 large trifle dish or glass bowl
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 electric mixer
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 table knife to slice bananas
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 medium mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
- 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 6 oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
- 16 oz. container cool whip or other non-dairy whipped topping
- 4-5 almost ripe bananas sliced
- 1 box vanilla wafers
- 12 oz. jar caramel sauce or caramel syrup
- 1/4 cup lemon juice as needed
Instructions
- Reserve 10-12 of the nicest vanilla wafers for garnish. Set aside.
- Cream the cheese until smooth in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer.
- In a separate bowl, mix pudding mix and milk with an electric mixer until thick.
- Add pudding mixture to cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk.
- Fold in half of the cool whip or non-dairy whipped topping.
- Dip sliced bananas in lemon juice and lay out on paper towels.
- Layer the vanilla wafers, then pudding mixture, then bananas in a glass trifle dish or parfait dishes.
- Squirt with caramel sauce.
- Repeat layers three times.
- Top with remaining whipped topping.
- Drizzle caramel sauce over top.
- Top with reserved vanilla wafers and maraschino cherries, if desired.
- Chill.
Notes
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
- 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
- 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups milk
- 6-oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
- 16-oz. container cool whip or other non-dairy whipped topping
- 4 or 5 almost ripe bananas, sliced
- 12-oz. box vanilla wafers
- caramel sauce or syrup
- lemon juice
- Reserve 10-12 of the nicest vanilla wafers for garnish. Set aside.
- Cream the cheese until smooth.
- Mix pudding mix and milk until thick.
- Add to cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk.
- Fold in half of the cool whip or non-dairy whipped topping.
- Dip sliced bananas in lemon juice and lay out on paper towels.
- Layer the vanilla wafers, then pudding mixture, then bananas in a glass trifle dish or parfait dishes.
- Squirt with caramel sauce.
- Repeat layers three times.
- Top with remaining whipped topping.
- Drizzle caramel sauce over top.
- Top with reserved vanilla wafers and maraschino cherries, if desired.
- Chill.
Banana Pudding with Caramel Sauce is one terrific dessert!
My Banana Pudding recipe has luscious caramel sauce drizzled over the top. As a result, everyone gets a sugar high when they sample this luscious dessert.
Banana Pudding – one of John’s favorite desserts–and it will certainly be one of yours if you give it a try!
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
Banana Cake with Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting
Banana Sheet Cake with Caramel Frosting
Banana Pudding
Equipment
- 1 large trifle dish or glass bowl
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 electric mixer
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 table knife to slice bananas
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 medium mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
- 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 6 oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
- 16 oz. container cool whip or other non-dairy whipped topping
- 4-5 almost ripe bananas sliced
- 1 box vanilla wafers
- 12 oz. jar caramel sauce or caramel syrup
- 1/4 cup lemon juice as needed
Instructions
- Reserve 10-12 of the nicest vanilla wafers for garnish. Set aside.
- Cream the cheese until smooth in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer.
- In a separate bowl, mix pudding mix and milk with an electric mixer until thick.
- Add pudding mixture to cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk.
- Fold in half of the cool whip or non-dairy whipped topping.
- Dip sliced bananas in lemon juice and lay out on paper towels.
- Layer the vanilla wafers, then pudding mixture, then bananas in a glass trifle dish or parfait dishes.
- Squirt with caramel sauce.
- Repeat layers three times.
- Top with remaining whipped topping.
- Drizzle caramel sauce over top.
- Top with reserved vanilla wafers and maraschino cherries, if desired.
- Chill.
Notes
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
Banana Pudding
Ingredients
- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
- 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups milk
- 6 oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
- 16 oz. container cool whip or other non-dairy whipped topping
- 4-5 almost ripe bananas sliced
- 1 box vanilla wafers
- 12 oz. jar caramel sauce or caramel syrup
- lemon juice as needed
Instructions
- Reserve 10-12 of the nicest vanilla wafers for garnish. Set aside.
- Cream the cheese until smooth.
- Mix pudding mix and milk until thick.
- Add to cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk.
- Fold in half of the cool whip or non-dairy whipped topping.
- Dip sliced bananas in lemon juice and lay out on paper towels.
- Layer the vanilla wafers, then pudding mixture, then bananas in a glass trifle dish or parfait dishes.
- Squirt with caramel sauce.
- Repeat layers three times.
- Top with remaining whipped topping.
- Drizzle caramel sauce over top.
- Top with reserved vanilla wafers and maraschino cherries, if desired.
- Chill.