Yep, I’ve been cooking for decades! Why has it taken me so long to whip up this? Banana Pudding Pavlova. Y’ALL!
For the longest time, I had this idea that pavlova was some kind of fancy and temperamental diva of the dessert world. Spoiler alert: it’s not. After years of psyching myself out, I finally decided it was time—time to whip up some egg whites and see what would happen. Like the hundreds of pie meringues I’ve done over the years.
And now? I feel downright silly for letting a bowl of egg whites intimidate me. This is so easy, so fun, and you can crown your pavlova with basically anything your taste buds dream up. (Think Strawberry Shortcake Pavlova!)
One of my favorite things is challenging myself to create recipes that seem… well, new. Or at least new enough that Google shrugs at my idea searches and they are nowhere to be found out there in internet land. I actually get a bit giddy when this happens. And this one? Totally in that category. I’ve got another pavlova idea bouncing around in my head that seems nobody has created yet too. Stay tuned…
Do you have any recipes you’re kinda scared to make because they simply “seem” difficult? Something like homemade egg rolls? That’s one I hear a lot. “Oh good Lord! I could never make egg rolls.” But you can, and should… so easy, and once you do you will wonder how in the hell you ever at those in a restaurant.
I’ve been this way whenever I seeing the words “yeast,” “knead,” or “rise.” But let me tell you—I saw the most drool-worthy sweet potato yeast rolls on Facebook before Thanksgiving, couldn’t find anyone to make them for me, and finally said, “Fine, I’ll do it myself.”
I hauled out the Kitchenaid, slapped on the dough hook, and darn if I didn’t bake some incredible sweet potato rolls. The first batch? Meh. But after a few tweaks? Perfection. I was way too proud of myself. I’ll share that recipe soon too.
But anyway—back to this banana-pudding bliss. Real banana pudding isn’t made with a box mix. (Those are tasty too, but southern grandmas everywhere just nodded in agreement with me.) True banana pudding means a creamy, cooked custard. I probably had a spoon of it in my hand at birth, and I definitely tasted every version that ever showed up at our Pearce Baptist Church homecomings. Back when ladies woke up before the sun to fry chicken in cast-iron skillets for us—before the era of chain-restaurant chicken in bright yellow boxes and potato salad in styrofoam containers. Sigh.
This custard is straight from a grandma recipe. I thickened it a bit for the pavlova, but not much. It’s definitely on the sweet side, so sugar lovers will swoon. For everyone else—just a little dab will do ya. And if you need dairy free, just use your favorite plant based milk and whipped coconut cream to dollop on top.
I hope this will encourage you to break out your mixer, whip up those egg whites, and stir together this simple dessert. You can make ahead too (see below). Holiday or not, people will be blown away. Serve it right on a baking sheet like I did, or glam it up on a silver platter if you’re feeling fancy. This dessert fits in anywhere—from backyard cookouts to fancy-schmancy dinner parties.
And when you make it, please show me! I want to see your creations. What idea do you have for a pavlova?
This recipe created for and published in Carolina Country Magazine December 2025
(Recipes may be used with credit or link to my blog here or WendyPerry.com)
Propping/styling and photography by Wendy Perry
Carolina Country Magazine Contributing Recipes Editor
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Banana Pudding Pavlova
Ingredients
Makes 2 ~ 8ish servings each!
Meringue
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup caster sugar*
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 10 ounce box vanilla wafers, roughly chopped
Custard
- 4 egg yolks
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1-12 oz. can evaporated milk
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Topping
- 3-4 ripe bananas sliced
- 2 cups heavy cream whipped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place parchment paper on a large sheet pan or 2 smaller ones.
Meringue
- Whip the egg whites with salt and cream of tartar until peaks are firm and glossy.
- Continue mixing, slowly adding sugar. Add cornstarch with extracts and beat for 10 seconds.
- Fold in 2 cups of wafer crumbles. Divide in half and spread each onto the baking pan(s).
- Leave a shallow well (1½-inch rim) in the center. Scatter with more chopped wafers, saving a bit for garnish.
- Bake 1½ hours. Turn oven off and let sit several hours or overnight.
Custard
- For custard, combine ingredients through vanilla and heat over double boiler until thickened, whisking as it cooks to keep a creamy consistency. Chill.
Topping
- Place meringue on serving plate. Top with sliced bananas, custard and whipped cream. Dust with remaining wafer crumbs.
Notes
