Description
This delightful Strawberry Banana Pudding is a creamy, layered dessert featuring vanilla wafers, fresh bananas, strawberries, and a luscious French vanilla pudding and cream cheese mixture. Perfectly chilled, it combines fruity freshness with rich, smooth textures in an easy-to-assemble no-bake treat that serves a crowd.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Layers
- 2 boxes Vanilla Wafers
- 6–8 bananas, sliced
- 1 container strawberries, chopped
Pudding Mixture
- 2 cups milk
- 1 (5 oz.) box French Vanilla pudding mix
Cream Cheese Mixture
- 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed (or equal amount sweetened whipped cream)
Instructions
- Prepare the Base: Line a 13×9-inch dish evenly with one box of Vanilla Wafers to form the bottom layer for the pudding.
- Add Bananas: Spread the sliced bananas evenly over the vanilla wafers to create a fresh fruity layer.
- Make the Pudding Mixture: In a mixing bowl, combine the 2 cups of milk and the French Vanilla pudding mix, then beat the mixture until smooth and thickened, ensuring there are no lumps.
- Prepare the Cream Cheese Mixture: Beat the softened cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk together until the mixture is creamy and well combined.
- Incorporate Whipped Topping: Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture until it is fully incorporated and smooth.
- Combine Mixtures: Mix the cream cheese mixture into the pudding mixture thoroughly until the entire pudding base is smooth and creamy.
- Assemble the Pudding: Pour this pudding mixture evenly over the banana and wafer base in the dish, spreading it out smoothly.
- Add Strawberries: Sprinkle chopped strawberries evenly on top of the pudding layer to add a fresh and colorful element.
- Top with Vanilla Wafers: Add the second box of Vanilla Wafers as a final top layer to give the dessert extra crunch and texture.
- Chill and Serve: Cover the dish and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours until set. Serve the pudding chilled for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature to ensure a smooth mixture.
- Use ripe but firm bananas to avoid mushy texture in the dessert.
- You can substitute fresh whipped cream for the frozen whipped topping for a fresher taste.
- For a decorative touch, reserve some sliced strawberries and wafers to garnish the top before serving.
- Keep the dessert refrigerated until just before serving to maintain freshness and consistency.
- This dessert can be prepared a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge for convenience.
