Magnolia Bakery is a bakery that I have always dreamed of going to. I have one of their cookbooks and I have made many treats out of it, but I always wondered if the recipes really are the same as the treats they serve in the bakery.
A few months ago I was on vacation in L.A. and discovered there is a Magnolia's down there.
Getting there was quite the adventure.
I don't know how anyone does it in California. GPS would have to be a must in your car. Just getting from San Diego to L.A., I counted 7 different freeways we had to merge onto and that drive was less than 2 hours. Oh and don't accidentally get off the wrong exit, because you can't just flip around and get right back on it. You will find yourself taking a very very long detour . . . not speaking from experience or anything :)
I have realized it is a piece of cake driving here in Utah and the traffic here is nothing.
Getting there was quite the adventure.
I don't know how anyone does it in California. GPS would have to be a must in your car. Just getting from San Diego to L.A., I counted 7 different freeways we had to merge onto and that drive was less than 2 hours. Oh and don't accidentally get off the wrong exit, because you can't just flip around and get right back on it. You will find yourself taking a very very long detour . . . not speaking from experience or anything :)
I have realized it is a piece of cake driving here in Utah and the traffic here is nothing.
Their Banana Pudding is one of the things they are famous for.
So, I made it when I got home from vacation. It is so light and fluffy and feels like a cloud of amazingness in your mouth. It is sweet and the bananas and Nilla Wafers make it extra special.
I could have eaten the entire batch by myself.
Magnolia Bakery's Famous Banana Pudding
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 c. ice cold water
1 (3.4 oz.) box vanilla instant pudding mix
3 c. heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 c. sliced bananas
1 (12 oz.) box Nilla Wafers
In a large bowl, beat together the sweetened condensed milk and water until well combined. Add the pudding mix and beat well. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight. It is very important to allow the proper amount of time for the pudding mixture to set.
In a large bowl, whip the cream and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until no streaks of pudding remain.
Serve with sliced bananas and crushed Nilla wafers. Serves: 8-10
To serve this like Magnolia Bakery: Make three layers of Nilla Wafers, sliced bananas and pudding in a 4-5 quart capacity glass bowl. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 4 hours up to 8 hours, but no longer.
Jenn's Notes: Magnolia's recipe does not add vanilla extract. I prefer to serve this as individual servings and I add the sliced bananas just before I eat it, so they don't turn brown.
In a large bowl, beat together the sweetened condensed milk and water until well combined. Add the pudding mix and beat well. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight. It is very important to allow the proper amount of time for the pudding mixture to set.
In a large bowl, whip the cream and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until no streaks of pudding remain.
Serve with sliced bananas and crushed Nilla wafers. Serves: 8-10
To serve this like Magnolia Bakery: Make three layers of Nilla Wafers, sliced bananas and pudding in a 4-5 quart capacity glass bowl. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 4 hours up to 8 hours, but no longer.
Jenn's Notes: Magnolia's recipe does not add vanilla extract. I prefer to serve this as individual servings and I add the sliced bananas just before I eat it, so they don't turn brown.
I love this recipe. Magnolia Bakery is amazing. Being from NY whenever I can get to the city I try to stop there.
ReplyDeleteLucky girl!
DeleteIm a native Californian learning to drive in LA was quite an achievement I see now but at the time I thought everyone had a maze on freeways to memorize...it's all what you're raised with that becomes the norm for you...too bad you couldn't go to magnolia bakery NOW because the Global Angel Wing Project wall is right across the street...so you can eat your banana pudding as you watch out the window as people stop and snap their photo in front of the angel wings! So the magnolia pudding BANANAS don't go brown OR bad if you cover them up with the pudding and refrigerate them the ones on top for sure do before serving...my mother made this for me as a child (without the sweet condensed milk) I tried this recipe before it's AWESOME thanks!!!
DeleteThat sounds fantastic! I'm going to have to try this recipe out.
ReplyDeleteThis looks and sounds divine! Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI make banana pudding with old-fashioned boiled custard and no condensed milk. Packaged pudding in a Southern icon is just so wrong!
ReplyDeleteI make a from scratch version too and it is delicious.
DeleteHi Jenn, this is one of my favs and gets me invited to a lot of parties, lol! Would you mind sharing your scratch recipe?
DeleteYay!!! I am so glad you like it as much as I do :) If you didn't mix the bananas and Nilla wafers into it, then it will last for around four days (maybe longer, but mine is always gone before that). If you mixed those items into it, then I would eat it within a day.
ReplyDeleteWow I didn't know it was so easy to make! Thanks for providing the recipe - must try!
ReplyDeleteMy husband made this for a dinner party tonight. HOLY COW. So good. And so easy too! Everybody loved it, and I have a feeling this is our new go-to, take-everywhere dessert. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteI'm from Germany and would like to know, if the "c." means cups and the instant pudding is not cooked at all. Thank you in advance.
ReplyDeletec. is for "cups" and the pudding is not cooked at all. It sets as it cools:)
DeleteThank you for your advice. I was just not sure, because german instant puddig products usually have to be cooked, to fix it through the stracht flour. :)
DeleteSwitch out the Nilla Wafers for Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Butter Cookies and it's melt in your mouth amazing.
ReplyDeleteI have to check the store for those cookies - sounds amazing!
DeleteLove it! This looks like just how my daddy always made it and it is delicious. I never remember to ask him how he does it so it is great to have found a recipe.
ReplyDeleteI hope it tastes just like his!
DeleteHow would it be to use cool whip instead of the heavy cream ?
ReplyDeleteCool Whip would work great!
DeleteThis looks so amazing! Just wanted to know, should I just mix in the vanilla instant pudding in the granulated form or should I first make the instant pudding (with milk) and then add to the condensmilk mix?
ReplyDeleteYou add the pudding mix in granulated form to the condensed milk and water. Thanks!!
DeleteI could not get the mixture to set it was really milky and I followed the recipe.
ReplyDeleteDid you use instant pudding?
DeleteYes
DeleteThat is weird, because the instant pudding on its own should easily thicken this mixture. Did you use sweetened condensed milk or maybe evaporated milk? Sweetened condensed milk is very thick and creamy and both do come in a can. Sorry it didn't work out for you.
DeleteI'm having the same problem :-( I made it twice before and it worked but I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.
DeleteThe only thing I can think of is if you maybe used cook & serve pudding instead of instant pudding. They both come in a box and look the exact same except one says instant on it. Or, if maybe evaporated milk was used instead of sweetened condensed milk. Especially where it has worked for you before. Did you whip the whipping cream until stiff peaks formed?
DeleteIf you toss your sliced bananas in a little lemon juice, they can be included in the pudding when it is assembled and will not turn brown. It even adds to the flavors by softening the sweetness just a tad.
ReplyDeleteI always let mine sit in the fridge overnight because I think it's better when the wafers have softened slightly. When I had a card party, I spooned the pudding into large bowl wine glasses and had it ready to pull out of the fridge and serve at break time.
Thanks for the tip :)
DeleteHey Jenn, Do u have Magnolias Banana Cream Pie recipe? While it tastes somewhat similar to the Banana Pudding recipe you posted it's definitely not the same. The pie is much more light and airy. And it doesn't use the Nilla wafers. I'd LOVE to have that!! Thanks Jenn
ReplyDeleteI might have the recipe in my Magnolia Cookbook, but it is packed away somewhere in a box right now - I'm moving. I can check when I get unpacked, but it won't be for a few weeks. I can imagine how amazing their pie is!!!
DeleteJenn....You just don't know...It's the most AMAZING PIE I'VE HAD IN MY LIFE!!!! I live in NYC and was soooo addicted that I'd buy a $30 pie once a week all to my greedy self. I wouldn't dream to share it...Lol ...Good Luck with the move. If u come across it please let me know.
ReplyDelete$30 for a pie, dang it must be amazing :) Banana Cream Pie is my all-time favorite, so I bet I would be addicted to this pie too. What type of crust does it have? Regular, graham cracker, Nilla Wafer???
DeleteI definitely wanna say Nilla wafer...It's out of this world
ReplyDeleteTurned out perfect... I would say let the pudding stay in fridge for at least 4 hours or more , you really want it to be extra firm so that it sets, also serve it the next day.
ReplyDeletewill the bananas turn brown within 24 hours after assembly?
ReplyDeleteI haven't ever made this that far in advance, but I assume the bananas would most likely turn brown. When I make banana cream pie, they are brown the next day.
DeleteDid you, by chance, unpack and find your cookbook for the Banana Cream Pie recipe? :)
ReplyDeleteNo :( I can't decide where to put my hutch, so I haven't unpacked any of my cookbooks yet. But . . . I do have all my cookbook boxes sitting in my garage. I'll try and see if I can find that book this weekend.
DeleteSorry, I found my cookbook and it does not have the pie recipe in there.
DeleteHey Jenn...Congrats on your move....I see other people are intererested in the banana cream pie recipe...I myself have been unable to come across it And it's so disappointing. Again I'm not even sure if they even list that recipe in the cookbook, but once your unsettled and if you get a chance and find it please do tell...Thanx
ReplyDeleteGuess what? I dug out my Magnolia Bakery cookbook today and the banana cream pie recipe is not in there :( After hearing such rave reviews, I was really hoping it would be in there, so I could give it a try, but no such luck.
DeleteOMG....Wow Jenn.....Thank You Soooo much for taking the time to even look it up. I figured it wasn't in the cookbook and it's sad because I can't even get any of the employees to give me the recipe ...Lol....anyways if I ever do come across it I promise to contact you with it.
ReplyDeleteThis recipe looks great!!! But I cant seem to find Nilla wafers anywhere, but I have a huge pack of lady's fingers, can I use that instead? Thank you
ReplyDeleteNilla Wafers are usually by the Graham Crackers and in my local grocery stores they usually have some in the produce section by the bananas. I have never had lady fingers, but I know they use those in tiramisu, so I'm sure they would be just fine in this pudding too.
DeleteHello!!
ReplyDeleteI'm just wondering if I would get the same results if I made the pudding from scratch and used it instead.
Thanks
Looks like I'll be making it this weekend
ReplyDeleteYum! This recipe takes me personally back to my vacation where I tried one thing comparable. Cannot wait to try this one.
ReplyDelete