Black Folks Chocolate Southern Banana Pudding Recipe

Bananas are yummy, healthy and nutritious. And there are all kinds of delicious Southern desserts you can make with them. From banana bread, banana pudding from scratch to the iconic Southern banana pudding soul food recipe.

And now, a new spin on this old-fashioned favorite – Black folks chocolate Southern banana pudding!

Growing up in the South, I’ve had the pleasure of indulging in this sweet treat all my life. Now I’m all about new twists on this classic banana pudding Southern dish. 

But before I indulge you on how to change this once only vanilla dessert into a chocolate lover’s paradise. First, let’s cover the most important thing for making the best banana pudding…

How do you make banana pudding the Black way?

Is banana pudding a Black thing?

Netflix’s original series, High On The Hog, exposed many so-called American fruits and vegetables that are actually African motherland derivatives brought over to North America. 

Bananas are among those fruits with an African heritage. Two African banana varieties crossbred to yield the seedless banana we know and enjoy today.

What is Black folks’ Southern banana pudding?

While this recipe for Black folks chocolate Southern banana pudding is a new twist on an old favorite. It’s still quintessentially banana pudding – a signature Southern soul food dessert served on a bed of Nilla Wafers and layered with round slices of bananas in between yummy whipped topping, pudding, and cream cheese. 

It’s pure chocolate bliss – also known as soul food!

What makes this the best banana pudding recipe?

Black Southern banana pudding is an elevated version of the Americanized English trifle.

This layered homemade custard dish was reimagined to perfection by African-American cooks in the South, incorporating silky and creamy recipe ingredients like cream cheese and milk. 

And, of course, the chocolate pudding in this recipe – a nod to Black folks’ swag!

Ingredients for Southern chocolate banana pudding the Black way

This recipe incorporates 2 layers of rich and creamy pudding. One vanilla layer and the other a sweet chocolate decadence. Yum!

• Cream cheese – is the secret ingredient for soul food banana pudding. It enhances the pudding’s flavor and thickens the consistency to keep it from getting watery and the bananas spoiling.
• Whole milk – is another key ingredient to a pudding. Whole milk adds rich milky flavor and smooth texture to your dessert.
• Whipped cream – To add extra creaminess, add whipped cream! Banana pudding tastes more decadent and more luxurious when topped with heavy cream.
• Nilla Wafers – The dessert base is made from the brand of cookies called Nilla Wafer. 
• Bananas – You will need ripe (but not overripe) bananas sliced into round discs to prepare this recipe.
• Chocolate pudding – You could make homemade pudding. But Black foodies over the years have found that soul food banana pudding is still just as tasty and easily accessible for anyone to quickly prepare with instant pudding.

Banana pudding the Southern Black way

You’ll never be able to look at other banana pudding the same way once you’ve tried this soul food delicious delight – chocolate Southern banana pudding. Of course, prepared the Black way!

Southern banana pudding is a soul food tradition in my family, recipes passed along from generation to generation. It’s our go-to dish for traditional African-American holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas. And for all cookouts and celebrations. 

So I’m excited to share my family’s soul food banana pudding recipe with a twist – Black folks chocolate Southern banana pudding.

 

What is chocolate banana pudding?

Chocolate banana pudding is a delightful dessert that combines bananas, chocolate pudding, vanilla wafers, and whipped cream. A perfect treat for the whole family!

How to make chocolate banana pudding the Black way

This chocolate banana pudding recipe is as quick and easy as the original soul food banana pudding recipe. You simply add a layer of chocolate pudding and crunchy buttery Nilla Wafers!

Black folks banana pudding with cream cheese

This Black folks chocolate Southern banana pudding recipe is still banana pudding with cream cheese – banana pudding the Black way! 

So even if you’re running short on time, this Southern dessert will be ready in no time – even with the extra layer of chocolate! 

The instructions are simple so that anyone can whip up this sweet treat.

Chocolate and vanilla banana pudding

Kitchen equipment

• 9×13 or similar size baking dish (preferably with a lid)
• Or a 2 qt. glass bowl (preferably with a lid)

  

Shop my kitchenware HERE!

Ingredients for Black folks chocolate Southern banana pudding recipe

• 3 ripe bananas, sliced into banana rounds
• 8 oz. of whipped cream (1 container)
• 8 oz. whipped cream cheese (1 container)
• 4.6 oz. of chocolate instant pudding or cook & serve chocolate pudding
• 4.6 oz. of vanilla instant pudding or cook & serve vanilla pudding
• 11 oz. box of Nilla Wafers cookies (and ¼ cup of crumbled Nilla cookies)

Pro tip: To make soul food banana pudding with pudding from scratch – check out this recipe HERE!

Instructions for Black folks chocolate Southern banana pudding recipe

1. Make the chocolate pudding according to the box instructions and set it aside in the refrigerator.
2. Make the vanilla pudding according to the box instructions and set it aside in the fridge.
3. Mix the whipped topping and cream cheese in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
4. Line the bottom and sides of a baking pan or dish with Nilla Wafers cookies.
5. Add a layer of sliced bananas over the Nilla Wafers.
6. Using a small spatula, spread the vanilla pudding evenly over the bananas.
7. Add a layer of the whipped topping and cream cheese mixture over the pudding layer.
8. Repeat the above steps for a second layer of cookies and bananas.
9. Then add a layer of chocolate pudding and finish with a second layer of whipped topping.
10. Sprinkle the ¼ cup of crumbled cookies all over the top layer of whipped cream.
11. Allow your banana pudding to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
12. Banana pudding is easiest to slice after being refrigerated, then serve, and enjoy!

How do you serve chocolate banana pudding?

Serve banana pudding in slices. The slices will be easier to cut once the dessert has been in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

And this recipe makes approximately 12 proportionate slices of banana pudding. 

What do you serve with Black folks chocolate banana pudding?

Chocolate banana pudding is usually served as a dessert with other soul foods like fried chicken, collard greens, or baked mac and cheese.

Black folks chocolate Southern banana pudding FAQs

Why is banana pudding popular in the South?

Enjoyed by generations from North to South and East to West.

Banana pudding has a Southern identity stretching back over half a century.

This dish became quintessentially Southern, probably due to the source of where it was primarily being prepared, providing the South with a more extraordinary claim to it.

Can you just use chocolate pudding?

Yes, you can use only instant chocolate pudding (no vanilla pudding) or make your pudding from scratch with cocoa powder for the chocolate flavor.

Either way is just as delicious – but the instant pudding is much faster!

Would frozen bananas work in this recipe?

While frozen bananas may work well for smoothies, popsicles, and the likes. I wouldn’t recommend using frozen bananas to prepare banana pudding because freezing them will change their texture and taste.

When making or adding the whipped cream, do you add sugar and vanilla first, or fold in just the whipped cream without adding anything?

Whether you’re using homemade whipped cream or store-bought, the whipped cream is only mixed with the cream cheese for this Black folks banana pudding recipe.

No need for sweeteners or flavoring additions because the pudding sweetens the dish.

Can you use milk instead of water in the pudding?

Definitely and encouraged! There’ll be a little more thickness which is fine. Milk provides the protein and fats that set the pudding and make it creamy, which water doesn’t. 

How long will pudding last in the fridge?

The best part about this yummy dessert is that it will last in your fridge for up to 3 days after being made. So don’t worry if you can’t eat all of it at once like me (just kidding!). Instead, store it away until the next time craving strikes! But keep in mind that the color of the banana may change after one day. 

How should you store chocolate banana pudding?

The pudding will remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days if it’s stored in an airtight container covered with plastic wrap. 

Spoiler alert: The bananas may not look their best on the third day, but don’t be fooled by their appearance! Still, the dessert will taste delicious.

Can you make chocolate banana pudding in advance?

While banana pudding can last in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It’s still not the ideal dish to make ahead of time. The bananas start to brown and blacken within hours of coming out of the peel. 

What if your bananas turn brown or black?

While the taste will remain the same, a blackened banana will not make the best first impression, not even in chocolate banana pudding.

You can squeeze fresh lemon juice on the bananas to slow down the blackening oxidation process. But ultimately, the bananas will still change colors within a day.

Can you leave chocolate banana pudding out overnight?

You’ll notice the mushy texture of your bananas and cream if you leave your banana pudding out for too long. It’s highly recommended to refrigerate banana pudding because it contains produce and dairy.

What can you substitute for Nilla Wafers in banana pudding?

Nothing. 

When making a Black folks Southern banana pudding recipe (vanilla or chocolate), it’s not recommended to try substitutions for Nilla Wafers.

There are simply no substitutions. Not even vanilla extract, vanilla bean, and definitely not other brands of vanilla wafers or vanilla cookies.

Ask any Black mama, auntie, cousin, or grandma, and they’ll tell you:

Nilla Wafers are the official cookie of soul food Southern banana pudding!

What do you think about this Black folks’ chocolate Southern banana pudding recipe?

You’ll never be able to look at other banana pudding the same way once you’ve tried this soul food delicious delight!

Black folks’ banana pudding is always the perfect recipe for your next soul food Sunday, soul food Thanksgiving menu, Christmas dinner, or your favorite holiday or special occasion. And folks will wanna kiss the cook when you usher in a chocolate version of the original beloved recipe!

Will you try this Black folks’ chocolate Southern banana pudding recipe?

Leave your answer in a comment below.

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