Banana pudding is a fantastic dessert with an amazing flavor. It is appropriate for everyone, including children, and makes for a perfect housewarming gift. I particularly love serving it during Sunday brunch.
Making banana pudding is relatively easy. The perfect banana pudding has a thick creamy consistency.
Unfortunately, there are instances when you may end up with runny banana pudding regardless of following your recipe.
If you make banana pudding but end up with a runny mess, do not despair. There are several ways to fix runny banana pudding. They include;
- Adding cornstarch
- Adding other starch-based thickening agents.
- Adding more instant pudding mix
This article discusses the methods mentioned above in detail. Additionally, we will look at how to make banana pudding stiff and ingredients to avoid when making banana pudding. I’ll also share my favorite banana pudding recipe.
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Why Is Your Banana Pudding Runny?
There are two main reasons why your banana pudding is runny; you didn’t mix the pudding well enough or used a lot of liquids in your recipe.
Mixing the pudding well is essential because it determines how its consistency will turn out. Take your time, don’t be in a hurry.
If you used a lot of liquids in your recipe, your banana pudding might turn out runny. In this case, your best bet would be to add a thickening agent or other ingredients until the pudding reaches your desired consistency.
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How to fix it
Here is how to fix runny banana pudding.
Add cornstarch
Cornstarch is an edible starch commonly used as a thickening agent. You can use it to thicken banana pudding too.
If you choose to use cornstarch, you should do it properly to achieve good results. You mustn’t add it to the pudding directly. Here is a step-by-step process on how to do it.
- Mix cornstarch with water in equal amounts.
- Stir until the two ingredients form a slurry.
- Add the mixture to your pudding a little at a time, and stir it in. Ensure the slurry completely combines with the pudding.
- Heat the banana pudding and let it simmer for approximately 30 seconds. Remember to keep stirring gently.
- Remove from heat and stir for a few minutes.
- Let it cool down, and then place it in your fridge for a few hours.
Add other starch-based thickening agents
You can always use other starch-based thickening agents if you don’t have cornstarch.
Some popular thickening agents you can use when making banana pudding from scratch are; tapioca, flour, and modified cornstarch.
These thickening agents have different thickening times, and they also work differently. For example, flour takes approximately 20 minutes to thicken. Please do your research before using them in your recipe.
Add more instant pudding mix
You will need another alternative if you don’t like cornstarch or any of the above-mention starch-based thickening agents. This is where instant pudding mix comes in.
Instant pudding mix can thicken the runny banana pudding. All you need to do is open another box and pour it into your pudding, little by little, and mix it in until you achieve your desired consistency.
If you choose to use this method, be patient. Instant pudding tends to take some time before absorbing moisture. Don’t add too much, as it may mess up the pudding.
Once it reaches the consistency you want, chill it in the fridge for some minutes and serve.
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How To Make Banana Pudding Stiff
Some people prefer stiff banana pudding over thick banana pudding.
If you want your banana pudding to gelatinize into a mold, you should add flavor-free gelatin to the mixture.
For every cup of pudding, add ¾ teaspoon of flavor-free gelatin. Stir the mixture, pour it into your preferred mould, and place it in the fridge for a few hours.
Ingredients to avoid when making banana pudding
Some ingredients tend to interfere with the consistency of banana pudding. You should avoid them if you want to make perfect banana pudding. They include;
- Flour
Although flour is a thickening agent, it is not ideal for banana pudding because it clumps up. Additionally, it has a bland flavor and takes longer to heat up.
- Artificial eggs
Artificial eggs may not give you the consistency you want. I suggest you stick to regular eggs if your recipe requires you to use them.
- Plant milks
Most plant milks require thickening agents to work well in banana pudding recipes. If you use them as they are, your pudding will be runny.
- Skim milks
Skim milks’ low-fat content is not ideal for banana pudding. Generally, puddings require fat concentration to achieve a creamy, buttery consistency.
- Arrowroot flour
Arrowroot flour tends to make the banana pudding’s texture slimy. If you don’t like a slimy texture, stick to other thickening agents.
- Crumbled vanilla wafers
Some people attempt to thicken banana pudding by crumbling vanilla wafers into it. It doesn’t work.
Instead, it turns your pudding annoyingly sloppy. If you want to add the wafers after making your pudding, don’t crumble them.
Banana pudding recipe
As mentioned above, banana pudding is relatively easy to make. Follow the recipe below to make the perfect banana pudding.
Ingredients
- 4 bananas (sliced).
- 1 ⅓ cups of whole milk.
- 1 can of sweetened condensed milk (14 oz).
- 1 pack instant vanilla pudding mix (5.1 oz).
- 3 cups heavy cream.
- 1 box vanilla wafer cookies.
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
- 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar.
Method
- Combine the vanilla pudding mix, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk in a mixing bowl.
- Use a whisk to mix them thoroughly and break any lumps. Refrigerate for five minutes or until the mixture sets.
- In a different bowl, combine the vanilla extract and heavy cream. Beat the mixture until it forms stiff peaks.
- Divide the mixture into two equal parts. You’ll use one half to top the pudding.
- Fold the other half of the mixture into the first pudding mixture you made.
- Layer a 3-quart trifle dish with vanilla wafer cookies and top it with ⅓ of the pudding mixture. Place another layer of the cookies on top and top it with banana slices. Repeat the process until your ingredients are over. The topmost layer should be banana pudding.
- Place the pudding in your fridge for at least three hours.
- Sweeten the heavy cream and vanilla extract mixture that remained with granulated sugar, stir, and dollop on your banana pudding.
- Serve and enjoy.
Banana pudding shelf life
If you store banana pudding in an airtight container in your fridge, it will last for approximately four days.
I don’t recommend keeping it for longer than that because the wafer cookies will soften, and the bananas will weep. It will not be pleasant to eat.
Can you freeze banana pudding?
Banana pudding does not freeze well. When you freeze it, crystallization occurs, altering the pudding’s texture.
When you thaw it, its texture and flavor will be completely different.
Conclusion
Making banana pudding is easy, but you may fail to achieve the right consistency even when using the instant pudding mix.
If this happens, try using the methods discussed above to thicken it. More often than not, you just need a thickening agent to get to the right texture.
Let me know which methods work for you in the comments below.
