Aunt Brenda's Sour Cream Banana Pudding
Aunt Brenda's Sour Cream Banana Pudding is a classic no-bake dessert featuring layers of vanilla wafers, fresh banana slices, and a luscious, tangy pudding. This creamy base combines instant vanilla pudding, sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, and homemade whipped cream. Chilling time is crucial for the flavors to meld and the wafers to soften into a cake-like texture. Perfect for feeding a crowd.
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Medium Mixing Bowl
- 1 Electric Mixer (handheld or stand mixer)
- 1 Whisk
- 1 9x13 inch (3-quart) Baking Dish
Ingredients
Main
- 2 cups cold whole milk
- 1 5.1-oz. pkg. vanilla instant pudding and pie filling
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 8-oz. container sour cream
- 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 8 cups vanilla wafers from 2 [11-oz.] pkg.
- 2 3/4 lb. ripe bananas about 9 bananas, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cold whole milk and instant vanilla pudding mix for 2 minutes until thickened. Set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on high speed until firm peaks form.
- Gently fold one-third of the whipped cream into the prepared vanilla pudding mixture.
- Add the sour cream and sweetened condensed milk to the pudding mixture, mixing until just combined and smooth. Then, fold in the remaining whipped cream until no streaks remain.
- Arrange about half of the vanilla wafers in a single layer on the bottom of a 9x13-inch (3-quart) baking dish.
- Evenly layer half of the sliced bananas over the wafers.
- Spread half of the sour cream pudding mixture over the bananas, gently smoothing it to cover.
- Repeat the layers: remaining vanilla wafers, then remaining sliced bananas, and finally the rest of the pudding mixture.
- Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the wafers to soften.
- Serve chilled, garnished with additional vanilla wafers or fresh banana slices if desired.
Notes
Banana ripeness is key; choose firm-ripe bananas, avoiding green ones for better flavor, and overly brown ones to prevent mushiness. Slice them uniformly for even distribution. Thorough chilling, ideally overnight, is crucial to allow the flavors to meld and the vanilla wafers to soften to a delightful cake-like texture. Ensure your heavy cream, bowl, and beaters are very cold before whipping to achieve stable, firm peaks without overbeating, which can result in a grainy texture. The sour cream provides a crucial tangy counterpoint, balancing the sweetness and richness of the condensed milk and whipped cream for a more complex flavor profile.