Banana Pudding Is Good, But A Boozy Inclusion Takes It To The Next Level

Do you ever wish there was a simple and sophisticated way to elevate classic banana pudding for a dinner party or holiday gathering? If you're used to making this traditional dessert, you already know how to keep bananas from browning with one ingredient: lemon juice. Yet, jazzing up traditional banana pudding takes a little more effort. Luckily, with a little bit of bourbon, you can add an entirely new flavor to this creamy confection.

Bourbon is a type of whiskey that is made with at least 51% corn, which gives many varieties an underlying sweetness. With inherent flavor notes of vanilla and caramel, this aged liquor is a unique and flavorful ingredient worth adding to your silky-smooth banana pudding recipe. Bourbon adds a complexity you can't find with many other ingredients.

For the perfect balance of flavor, whip bourbon and chilled cream into a light and fluffy topping. Add no more than ½ tablespoon of liquor to avoid overpowering the other ingredients in your dessert. Then, before building your trifle, incorporate the whipped cream into chilled homemade or instant custard – or blend the bourbon directly into your pudding mix. Once fully prepared, the added vanilla wafers soak up the distinctive taste of bourbon and imbue every bite with new and exciting flavors that have a bit of bite.

Since you can booze up banana bread with one sweet liqueur, there's no reason you can't use the same spirit to enhance your next banana trifle. Rum is available in many different varieties — each kind is made from various forms of sugarcane. Spiced rum might add a strong molasses and brown sugar flavor to banana pudding. Alternatively, Malibu rum has a tropical taste, reminiscent of coconut and pineapple.

If you want to keep the flavor of this dessert more on the neutral side but still have a boozy kick, replace the milk in your instant pudding with a combination of vodka and water. However, if you're looking to take things up a notch and increase the amount of alcohol used, feel free to use one liquor in your pudding and another to make a spiked whipped cream topping.

While there is a chance you can get tipsy from boozy ice cream or banana pudding, with all the other ingredients involved, you would need to eat a significant amount of dessert to feel any effects. More importantly, whichever spirit you choose, incorporate extra toppings to create a more well-rounded dish. For example, if you decide to use spiced rum, top your banana pudding with cinnamon whipped cream or a dash of your favorite warming spices. Trifles made with Malibu rum can include sweetened coconut flakes or chopped macadamia nuts for a tropical crunch that brings delightful texture.