Magnolia Banana Pudding: The Best No Bake Copycat Recipe

Instructions:

1. Prepare and Set the Pudding Base: In a large bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk and ice-cold water until fully combined. Slowly sprinkle in the instant vanilla pudding mix. Whisk vigorously for 3–4 minutes until the mixture thickens significantly. Stir in the vanilla extract, cover tightly, and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes to fully set the custard base.
2. Prepare the Whipped Cream: Pour the cold heavy cream and granulated sugar into a mixing bowl. Whip on medium-high speed until the cream holds stiff peaks. Be careful not to over-whip.
3. Create the Final Filling: Once the pudding base is set, use a rubber spatula to gently fold in about one-third of the stiff whipped cream mixture to lighten the pudding. Then, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until no streaks remain and the mixture is uniformly light, airy, and pale yellow.
4. Assembly and Layering: Spread a thin layer of the creamy filling across the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish or large trifle bowl to anchor the wafers. Arrange a single layer of vanilla wafers over the bottom, followed by half of the sliced bananas. Spoon half of the remaining pudding mixture evenly over this layer. Repeat with a second layer of vanilla wafers, the remaining half of the sliced bananas, and finally, spread the remaining pudding mixture smoothly over the top layer. Garnish with a few decorative whole wafers.
5. Chill and Serve: Cover the dish tightly and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, or ideally overnight (8–12 hours). This long chill time is crucial for the wafers to soften and achieve the signature pudding texture. Serve cold straight from the refrigerator.