Kid-friendly Southern Sunny Delight Banana Pudding + Cinnamon Whipped Cream + Blazing Banana Shakes Recipe - Sticky Fingers Cooking
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Family Meal Plan: Southern Sunny Delight Banana Pudding + Cinnamon Whipped Cream + Blazing Banana Shakes

Family Meal Plan: Southern Sunny Delight Banana Pudding + Cinnamon Whipped Cream + Blazing Banana Shakes

Southern Sunny Delight Banana Pudding + Cinnamon Whipped Cream + Blazing Banana Shakes

by Dylan Sabuco
Photo by Dylan Sabuco
prep time
35 minutes
cook time
5 minutes
makes
4-6 servings

Fun Food Story

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Southern Sunny Delight Banana Pudding

This dreamy dessert combines layers of creamy pudding, sweet caramel, crunchy vanilla wafers, fresh banana slices, and cinnamon-infused whipped cream. It's like getting five desserts and a full suite of flavors and textures in every spoonful. This banana pudding is a delicious, indulgent treat and the perfect touch of sweetness to add to life's memorable moments. For a dining experience that's truly "extra," pair it with Cinnamon Whipped Cream and Blazing Banana Shakes!

Happy & Healthy Cooking,

Chef Erin, Food-Geek-in-Chief
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Shopping List

  • FRESH
  • 6 bananas **(see allergy subs below)**
  • DAIRY
  • 2 C heavy whipping cream **(see allergy subs below)**
  • 1/2 C sour cream **(see allergy subs below)**
  • 3 C milk **(see allergy subs below)**
  • PANTRY
  • 1 T cornstarch
  • 1 C brown sugar
  • 2 C vanilla wafer cookies, or similar cookies **(see allergy subs below)**
  • 1 2/3 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch salt
  • HAVE ON HAND
  • 1 C ice

Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills

  • blend :

    to stir together two or more ingredients until just combined; blending is a gentler process than mixing.

  • measure :

    to calculate the specific amount of an ingredient required using a measuring tool (like measuring cups or spoons).

  • simmer :

    to cook a food gently, usually in a liquid, until softened.

  • slice :

    to cut into thin pieces using a sawing motion with your knife.

  • whisk :

    to beat or stir ingredients vigorously with a fork or whisk to mix, blend, or incorporate air.

Equipment Checklist

  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Liquid measuring cup
  • Dry measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Whisk
  • Blender (or pitcher + immersion blender)
  • Small saucepan
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Cutting boards
  • Kid-safe knives
  • Baking dish
  • Rubber spatula
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Ingredients

Southern Sunny Delight Banana Pudding

  • 4 bananas **(for BANANA ALLERGY sub 4 mangoes—see more below)**
  • 1 C heavy whipping cream **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub dairy-free/nut-free whipping cream)**
  • 1/2 C sour cream **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub coconut cream)**
  • 1 T cornstarch
  • 1/2 C brown sugar
  • 2 C vanilla wafer cookies, or similar cookies **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY sub gluten-free/nut-free vanilla flavored cookie)**
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Cinnamon Whipped Cream

  • 1 C heavy whipping cream **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub dairy-free/nut-free whipping cream)**
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 C brown sugar
  • 1 pinch salt

Blazing Banana Shakes

  • 2 frozen bananas
  • 3 C milk **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub dairy-free/nut-free milk)**
  • 1 pinch ground cinnamon
  • 1 T brown sugar
  • 1 C ice

Food Allergen Substitutions

Southern Sunny Delight Banana Pudding

  • Banana: Substitute 4 mangoes for bananas, or 2 C blueberries, strawberries, or peaches would also be good. 
  • Dairy: Substitute dairy-free/nut-free whipping cream. Substitute coconut cream for sour cream.
  • Gluten/Wheat: Substitute gluten-free/nut-free vanilla-flavored cookie.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream

  • Dairy: Substitute dairy-free/nut-free whipping cream.

 

Blazing Banana Shakes

  • Dairy: Substitute dairy-free/nut-free milk.

Instructions

Southern Sunny Delight Banana Pudding

1.
intro

This southern classic is the ultimate family gathering staple. Maybe the reason for that is because this dessert combines some of the best things you can think of. As you dig into this delicious dish, you will find layers of cookies, pudding, whipped cream, bananas, and caramel.

2.
measure + simmer

Let’s make the pudding! Start by measuring 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 cup brown sugar into a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until all the cornstarch is fully combined. Then, simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and cool the pudding completely for the final step.

3.
slice + whisk

Peel and slice 4 bananas into thin rounds. Reserve in a small bowl. Create Cinnamon Whipped Cream and reserve in a medium bowl.

4.
layer + serve

In a baking dish, start creating layers with your pudding, 2 cups vanilla wafers, Cinnamon Whipped Cream, and sliced bananas until you run out of all four. Start by spreading the vanilla wafers in a single layer, then pour in the pudding that is cooling from step 1, followed by bananas, and finally topped off with the whipped cream. Repeat these layers like you are making a giant parfait.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream

1.
recipe tip

Your heavy cream will become whipped cream a lot faster if you use a cold metal whisk and a cold metal bowl. The cold temperature will cut the time you spend whipping significantly.

2.
scrumptious science

Creating the whipped cream will require friction. Friction is the resistant force that is present when two objects move across each other. In this instance, the cream will be whisked against the walls of the container. This friction causes the cream to become whipped cream. Friction can help to force air into the cream molecule, changing the fat structure of the cream. The fat, or lipid, molecule contains all sorts of fat, water, and a little air, protected by a barrier of triglycerides. When you whisk the cream, the triglyceride barrier breaks down, allowing the contained fat to clump together and appear thicker. You will notice the cream is becoming thicker but not yet whipped cream. Now that the triglyceride barrier is broken down, air can more freely integrate into the cream, and before you know it, the cream will be standing tall because it is full of air bubbles. Now put that cream on some banana pudding and quickly before it deflates.

3.
measure + whisk

In a medium mixing bowl, measure 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 pinch of salt. Whisk that mixture together vigorously until a medium stiff peak forms (if using coconut cream, this will be more of a drizzle than a stiff-peaked whipped cream). Whisking air into the heavy cream will create whipped cream. It’s as simple as that. Dollop Cinnamon Whipped Cream on top of desserts or layer it with our Southern Sunny Delight Banana Pudding!

Blazing Banana Shakes

1.
measure + blend

Measure 2 frozen bananas, 3 cups milk, 1 pinch of cinnamon, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1 cup ice into a blender (or pitcher for use with an immersion blender). Blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Surprise Ingredient: Banana!

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Photo by Daria Lixovetckay/Shutterstock.com

Hi! I'm Banana!

“I'm such an 'a-peeling' fruit, I'm just going to have to tell you a little about myself! Bananas are very popular. We're long and curved, and we typically have a yellow outer layer (like some raincoats!) called a peel or skin. After peeling a banana, you can eat it whole; slice it into cereal, salads, or desserts; and mash it and put us on toast or add us to pancake or banana bread batter. Be careful not to throw your banana peel on the floor, or someone might slip on it!"

History

  • The Latin scientific name for banana is "musa sapientum," or "fruit of the wise men."
  • The first recorded mention of bananas is from the 6th century BCE. They were represented in Egyptian hieroglyphs.
  • Bananas may have been Earth's first fruit and the first fruit cultivated by people. The first banana farms were in southeast Asia.
  • The phrase "going bananas" came about because monkeys love bananas!
  • India produces over 26 percent of the world's bananas. In the United States, Hawaii grows the most bananas.
  • There are a few cultures, especially Japan's, where the fiber from the banana plant is used to make fabric and sometimes even paper.
  • The world's record for the longest banana split is 4.97 miles. In March 2017, Innisfail, Australia, residents made it using 40,000 bananas, 660 gallons of ice cream, and 528 gallons of topping. It took hundreds of volunteers 12 hours to prepare the banana split. 
  • People like their bananas! Worldwide we eat more than 100 billion bananas each year! Of those, Americans annually eat about 27 pounds of bananas per person. But we don't eat as many bananas as the Ugandan people. Their average consumption each year is 500 pounds per person!

Anatomy & Etymology

  • What appears to be a banana tree is actually an herbaceous flowering plant (the world's largest). 
  • A banana plant can grow an inch or more while you sleep at night, eventually growing from 10 to 25 feet high.
  • Botanically, a banana is a berry.
  • Since commercially-grown bananas do not contain seeds, you cannot grow a banana from seed unless you can find someone who sells seeds from the wild fruit. Otherwise, new plants are grown from offshoots or suckers of the banana plant.
  • A single banana fruit is called a finger, and a cluster of fruit is called a hand. There are 10 to 20 fingers on each hand.
  • About 75 percent of a banana's weight is water. 
  • Because bananas are less dense than water, they are able to float.
  • Wild banana varieties include bubblegum pink bananas with fuzzy skins, green-and-white striped bananas with orange sherbet-colored flesh, and bananas that taste like strawberries when cooked.
  • The word "banana" may have come from the West African Wolof word "banaana," through late 16th century Portuguese or Spanish. However, it could have come from the Arab word "banan," meaning finger. 

How to Pick, Buy, & Eat

  • Bananas ripen best if growers pick them when they are still green.
  • Don't separate a banana from the bunch if you want it to ripen more quickly. 
  • Putting bananas in a sealed container, like a brown paper bag, will hasten them to ripen, especially if you add another type of fruit to the bag. 
  • You may have noticed that organic bananas often come with plastic wrap around the top stems of a bunch, but you can also wrap yours at home. Tightly wrapped stems will help bananas last three to five days longer. 
  • Try peeling a banana from the bottom up toward the stem to avoid dislodging the stringy vascular tissue running down the length of the fruit inside. Those strings are called "phloem" (pronounced "flom").
  • Banana peels are actually edible if cooked.
  • Once you peel a banana and it comes in contact with air, it can begin to turn brown. Sprinkling lemon or pineapple juice on a cut banana will prevent this.
  • Don't be surprised that the banana peel turns brown or black after being refrigerated—it won't affect the fruit inside. This darkening happens because the cold breaks down the skin's cell walls and causes compounds in it to oxidize.
  • You can put ripe or overripe bananas in the freezer and then add a frozen banana to your blender when making a smoothie instead of ice. You can also insert a popsicle stick into one end of a banana, freeze the banana, then dip the frozen banana in chocolate melted with a little oil. If desired, roll the coated banana in toppings like nuts, coconut flakes, or sprinkles, then refreeze for a chocolaty, nutritious frozen dessert. 

Nutrition

  • Bananas contain vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and vitamin B6.
  • Bananas have 31 percent of the daily value of vitamin B6! This vitamin strengthens your nervous and immune systems. It also is needed for your body to make serotonin, a hormone that elevates mood.   
  • About half of all people allergic to latex may also be allergic to bananas.

 

History of Banana Pudding!

Photo by Elena Veselova/Shutterstock.com
  • According to an article by Robert Moss for Serious Eats, the earliest recorded recipe for banana pudding may have been from 1888 in a Good Housekeeping magazine based in Massachusetts. 
  • Banana pudding is similar to the English trifle, a layered dessert that goes back to the 16th century and includes custard, sponge cake, fruit, and whipped cream. Banana pudding is also a layered dessert consisting of custard or vanilla pudding, vanilla wafer cookies or ladyfingers, and sliced bananas with a whipped cream topping.
  • Although it may have begun in the Northeastern United States, banana pudding is now associated with the South and is popular at various Southern social occasions. 
  • The National Banana Pudding Festival takes place over two days on the first weekend in October in Centerville, Tennessee.

Let's Learn About the Southern United States!

Photo by In The Light Photography/Shutterstock.com
  • The southern region of the United States is also referred to as the Southern States, or just "the South." The area lies between the Western states and the Atlantic Ocean. Midwestern and Northeastern states are to its north, and Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico are to its south. 
  • From west to east, the states included in the South are Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. 
  • The term "Deep South" usually applies to Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
  • Native Americans inhabited the region as early as 11,000 to 9,500 BCE. They lived on food they grew, hunted, and fished.
  • Eleven Southern states seceded from the Union from 1860 to 1861 and became the Confederate States of America. Their secession and the dispute about the expansion of slavery caused the Civil War (1861-1865), the war between the North and the South. At the war's end, the Southern states returned to the Union. 
  • Southern culture was influenced by indigenous peoples, immigrants from England, Spain, and France, and enslaved Africans. As a result, the area's language, food, music, architecture, and literature may include one or more of these influences.  
  • The climate in the region is diverse and depends on a state's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricanes and tornadoes are extreme types of weather seen in the South.
  • Animals that are unique to the South include the nine-banded armadillo, the cottonmouth (snake), the roseate spoonbill (wading bird), and the American alligator.
  • Stock car racing got its start in Southern states. NASCAR (National Association of Stock Car Racing) was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina. 
  • There are a wide variety of foods in Southern cuisine. Cajun and creole dishes originated in Louisiana. You can find Caribbean cooking influences in Florida, including Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican. 
  • Various types of barbecue are popular in the South, and each state has its own cooking or smoking techniques, dry rub, and BBQ sauce that make its barbecue style unique.
  • Other well-known Southern dishes are Southern fried chicken, red beans and rice, fried catfish and hush puppies, and Hoppin' John, a black-eyed pea and rice dish commonly served on New Year's Day.

That's Berry Funny

How do you make a milkshake?

Give a cow a pogo stick!

The Yolk's On You

What kind of key opens a banana? 

A mon-key!

That's Berry Funny

What is a French cat's favorite pudding?

Chocolate mousse!

Lettuce Joke Around

I named my dog Cinnamon!

He's a lot of bark!

THYME for a Laugh

Why are bananas never lonely? 

Because they hang around in bunches!

THYME for a Laugh

What would you call two banana skins? 

A pair of slippers.

THYME for a Laugh

How does a cat make whipped cream?

With its WHISKers!

The Yolk's On You

"Knock, knock!" 

"Who’s there?"

"Ben and Anna."

"Ben and Anna who?"

(no answer—Ben and Anna (banana) split)

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