Banana Pudding

Topped with lightly sweetened crème fraîche whipped cream, my twist on banana pudding is perfect for serving in individual dessert cups. In place of traditional vanilla wafers, I whip up a thin vanilla cake, which is then cubed to form the bottom layer. Next come layers of sliced bananas and homemade vanilla pudding. The slightly tangy topping makes for a dessert that has just the right amount of sweetness.

If you’re prepping ahead, you can make the pudding and cake in advance then assemble just before serving. Unlike vanilla wafers, which need to soften a bit before serving, the soft cake layer needs no such waiting time. When you’re ready to create the individual desserts, simply portion everything out, and dessert is ready. I find that this recipe yields 6 servings, but that may vary based on the size of your dessert cups.

Ingredients

Pudding

4 egg yolks
½ cup granulated sugar
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
⅓ + 1 tablespoon whole milk

Crème Fraîche Whipped Cream

½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
4 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar

3 medium bananas
Toasted coconut (optional)

How to Make the Vanilla Pudding

Whisk egg yolks and sugar until smooth and set aside. In a medium saucepan whisk the milk, salt, and cornstarch until smooth and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until bubbles begin to form at the edges. Remove from heat and slowly add 1 cup of the milk into the egg mixture while whisking. Pour the egg mixture into the milk that remains in the saucepan and return to medium heat.

Bring to a boil (look for large bubbles) while whisking, and cook for an additional minute. Reduce heat to moderate-low and continue cooking and whisking until it reaches a thick consistency.

Pour the pudding through a mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in vanilla extract.  Cover with plastic wrap, pressing against the surface to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold. The pudding will last a few days in the refrigerator so this part can be made ahead. It will only require a brief whisking once you’re ready to assemble the individual desserts.

How to Make the Vanilla Cake

While the oven is preheating to 350 degrees, grease the sides of a 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and mix until well-combined. Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour.

Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack, then turn cake out of the pan. Remove parchment and let cool completely. If you are making the cake ahead of time, wrap tightly once cool to keep it fresh.

How to Make the Crème Fraîche Whipped Cream

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, crème fraîche, and powdered sugar until soft peaks form. A chilled bowl and ingredients help everything come together more quickly.

How to Assemble the Banana Pudding

Cut the cake into cubes. Peel and slice the bananas. Whisk the cooled vanilla pudding so that it’s creamy and completely smooth. Divide the ingredients evenly among the dessert cups creating the layers in this order: cake cubes, banana slices, vanilla pudding, crème fraîche whipped cream. Top with toasted coconut if desired.