Favorite Banana Pudding

Whipped cream wins out as the topping on this banana pudding, complete with crushed wafers. (Courtesy of Stacy Lyn Harris)

According to Stacy Lyn Harris, there are four main reasons that you might get into a fight in the South: “You don’t mess with a Southerner’s hat, truck, talk about their mama, or talk about banana pudding,” she said.

In the Harris household, the fight is over whether or not meringue or whipped cream belongs on banana pudding. This one topic has been the source of countless arguments over the table—most of which end in laughter. 

Ms. Harris adds: “I love using all sizes of mason jars for the banana pudding. Layer in the same order, and if you are eating the banana pudding right away, make the final layer a big serving of whipped cream topped with whole or crumbled wafers. If you are saving for later or are traveling with them in a cooler, leave off the whipped cream and leave 1/8 inch of headspace at the top of the jar, and place lids on them. Once ready to serve, remove the lids and top with whipped cream and wafers!”

Serves 6 to 8

For the Banana Pudding

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup corn starch
• 3 cups milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 11 ounces vanilla wafers, reserving 1 ounce for garnish
• 5 ripe bananas, sliced

For the Whipped Cream

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium-size heavy saucepan, whisk together sugar and cornstarch. In a large bowl, whisk milk and egg yolks. Begin to slowly whisk milk and egg mixture into the saucepan with the dry ingredients. Bring mixture almost to a boil (medium heat) and whisk continuously until thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add butter, one tablespoon at a time, allowing each one to melt completely before adding the next, while continually stirring. Add the extract and salt until combined.

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In a stand mixer or electric mixer, whip cream at a high speed until it’s foamy and has increased in volume. Add vanilla, and then slowly add sugar until soft peaks form.

Now for the assembly! In a large bowl or trifle dish, add a layer of wafers, then 1/4 of the bananas. Spoon 1/4 of the custard over the bananas, then top with whipped cream. Repeat with the remaining layers. Top with crushed wafers.

Recipes excerpted from “Love Language of the South: A Celebration of the Food, the Hospitality, and the Stories of My Southern Home“ by Stacy Lyn Harris. Copyright 2024. Used with permission from Worthy Books, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.