“Earth-Shattering” Classic Southern Banana Pudding

A classic layered banana pudding with cooked custard, Nilla Wafers, bananas, and meringue.

Ingredients

Custard

• 1 cup sugar
• ⅓ cup flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 cups whole milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Layers

• 11 oz Nilla Wafers
• 4–5 bananas

Meringue

• 4 egg whites
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Cook the custard with the sugar, flour, salt, egg yolks, milk, butter, and vanilla.
2. Layer the Nilla Wafers, bananas, and custard.
3. Make the meringue with the egg whites, cream of tartar, sugar, and vanilla.
4. Top the pudding with the meringue.
5. Bake at 350°F for 12–15 minutes.

Notes

• Cooked July 4, 2026.
• During the cook, the cream of tartar was unavailable and the meringue became liquid. The history does not preserve the final correction.