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Dolly-Inspired Vegan Mama's Banana Pudding

A fully plant-based take on the Parton family's old-fashioned banana pudding: layers of vanilla wafers, ripe bananas, homemade vanilla custard, and a browned aquafaba meringue.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: banana pudding, custard, Dolly Parton inspired, Southern dessert, vegan
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 12 servings

Equipment

  • 9x13-inch broiler-safe baking dish
  • Medium saucepan
  • Electric mixer or stand mixer

Ingredients

Vanilla Custard

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
  • 3 cups unsweetened plain soy milk
  • 1/4 cup vegan butter
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Layers

  • 4 to 5 ripe bananas sliced
  • 12 ounces vegan vanilla wafer cookies

Aquafaba Meringue

  • 3/4 cup chilled aquafaba the liquid from canned chickpeas
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Whisk the sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in the soy milk until smooth.
  • Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the custard begins to bubble and becomes thick enough to hold whisk trails, about 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vegan butter and vanilla.
  • Press parchment or reusable wrap directly against the custard surface and let it cool until just warm, about 45 to 60 minutes.
  • Arrange vanilla wafers across the bottom and partly up the sides of a 9x13-inch broiler-safe dish. Add an even layer of banana slices, then spread the custard over the top. Add another scattering of wafers if desired.
  • For the meringue, beat the chilled aquafaba and cream of tartar on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the sugar gradually and continue beating until glossy stiff peaks form, then beat in the vanilla.
  • Spread the aquafaba meringue over the pudding all the way to the edges.
  • Place the dish about 4 inches below a hot broiler and brown the meringue for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Watch continuously because the difference between toasted and tiny kitchen tragedy is remarkably brief.
  • Cool for 15 minutes, then chill for at least 1 hour before serving for the cleanest layers.

Notes

Vegan adaptation inspired by the corresponding recipe in Good Lookin' Cookin': A Year of Meals - A Lifetime of Family, Friends, and Food by Dolly Parton and Rachel Parton George. This adaptation uses original wording and plant-based substitutions. The published original makes a large double batch with whole milk, eggs, egg yolks, butter, vanilla wafers, bananas, and an egg-white meringue. This version is scaled to one 9x13-inch dish and uses a starch-thickened soy custard plus aquafaba meringue. Use vanilla wafers specifically labeled vegan.