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image of banana pudding trifle that's been layered and is ready to be eaten
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4.75 from 12 ratings

Banana Pudding Trifle

This easy banana pudding trifle is the perfect make ahead dessert! It comes together so quickly, and is made with delicious layers of fresh bananas, sweet vanilla pudding, chopped vanilla wafers and whipped cream.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Additional Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 20
Calories: 287kcal
Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Vanilla Pudding

  • 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk 396g
  • 1 1/2 cups cold water 360g
  • 3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding 96g

Homemade Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup (8 oz) block full-fat cream cheese, cold 226g
  • 1 cup powdered sugar 125g
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold 480g

Additional Ingredients

  • 3 cups chopped vanilla wafers
  • 4 large bananas, sliced

Instructions

Vanilla Pudding:

  • Make the vanilla pudding first! It needs a couple hours to set.
  • Pour the sweetened condensed milk and cold water into a large bowl. Whisk together until combined.
  • Add in the vanilla pudding mix and whisk until smooth.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to set for a couple hours or overnight.

Stabilized Whipped Cream:

  • Once the pudding has set, make the stabilized whipped cream.
  • Chill your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 30 minutes to help the heavy cream whip up better.
  • Place 1 cup (8 oz. block) of cold cream cheese into the chilled mixing bowl and mix on a medium low speed until smooth.
  • Pour in 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix on low at first to avoid an powdered sugar clouds / explosions. Increase the speed to medium high once the powdered sugar is incorporated and mix for about 1 minute. Scrape the side and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed throughout this process.
  • Add in 1 tsp of vanilla extract, then turn the mixer to a medium high speed and gradually pour in 2 cups of cold heavy cream. I like to do this in about 4 additions, and focus on pouring the heavy cream down the side of the bowl to prevent it from splattering.
  • Watch the mixture closely once the heavy cream is fully mixed in. It should thicken and take shape shortly after this (mine usually does within about 30 seconds of mixing in the heavy cream). Take care not to over-mix your whipped cream!! It will become soupy and difficult to fix if over-whipped.
  • As soon as you see the whipped cream start to take shape, turn off your mixer and do a quick whisk test. Dunk your whisk attachment into the frosting, then put it out and flip it upside down. The frosting should keep its shape and form a nice peak. If it doesn't, continue to mix the frosting on a medium high speed for 15 second intervals until it does.

Assembling this Banana Pudding Trifle:

  • Use 1/2 the vanilla pudding to spread an even layer on the bottom of an 8-inch trifle dish.
  • Add an even layer of chopped vanilla wafers, using about half of them.
  • Create the next layer using half of the sliced bananas.
  • Top with 1/2 of the whipped cream, and use an offset spatula to create an even layer.
  • Repeat with remaining ingredients to create an additional layers.
  • Garnish with fresh banana slices and vanilla wafer and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Tips For Making the Best Banana Pudding Trifle:

  • Toss the banana slices with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to prevent them from browning.
  • Carefully spoon and smooth the layers of pudding and whipped cream with an offset spatula to give your trifle a gorgeous finished look.
  • If you have time, make your whipped cream from scratch. It only takes a few minutes to make and tastes so amazing!!
  • If you're short on time, just use creamy cool whip! It has a nice consistency and also works great in this recipe.
  • While making the trifle, get down at eye level with the trifle dish or glasses to make sure the layers are even and the same thickness.
 

Making this Banana Pudding Trifle in Advance & Storage Tips:

  • Make this trifle in advance to make life easier! It can easily be made a day or two before an event or party. Tightly wrap the trifle container with plastic wrap to keep it fresh. Wait to add the garnish until right before you plan to serve it.
  • Leftover trifle can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days if tightly wrapped with plastic wrap. After that, the whipped cream will lose its shape.

Using Different-Sized Trifle Dishes

The quantities in this recipe are based on a trifle dish that is 8 inches in diameter.
You can also make individual trifles in stemless wine glasses, for easy serving! This recipe feeds about 20 people, so you may want to cut it in half if you plan to make individual trifle cups.
The amount of ingredients you need will vary based on the size of your trifle dish. Please adjust as needed :)

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g