strawberry banana pudding

Here’s how you can incorporate biscuits and fruitcake into your strawberry banana pudding for a more decadent and textural twist:

Strawberry Banana Pudding with Biscuits & Fruitcake (Twists):

Ingredients:

• Vanilla Wafers: 1 (11 oz) box (around 60-70 pieces)
• Bananas: 4 large ripe bananas (about 3 cups)
• Strawberries: 2 ½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: 1 (5.1 oz) box
• Milk: 2 cups
• Pure Vanilla Extract: 2 tsp
• Sweetened Condensed Milk: 1 (14 oz) can
• Whipped Topping: 1 (8 oz) tub thawed extra creamy whipped topping
• Biscuits: 8-10 store-bought buttermilk biscuits (can be canned or refrigerated)
• Mini Fruitcake: 1 small store-bought fruitcake (around 6-8 oz), cubed into bite-sized pieces

Instructions:

1. Prep the Pudding (same as before):

   • Whisk together milk, vanilla pudding mix, vanilla extract, and sweetened condensed milk. Gently fold in whipped topping.

2. Prep the Fruit (same as before):

   • Slice bananas and toss with lemon juice (optional). Rinse and slice strawberries.

3. Prep the Biscuits and Fruitcake:

   • Preheat your oven according to the package instructions for the biscuits. Bake the biscuits until golden brown. Let them cool completely.
   • Cube the fruitcake into bite-sized pieces.

4. Assemble the Layers:

   • In a clear trifle dish or 9×13 inch baking dish, create your first layer with half of the vanilla wafers.
   • Arrange half of the banana slices on top of the wafers.
   • Next, add a sprinkle of fruitcake cubes, followed by half of the sliced strawberries.
   • Pour half of the pudding mixture over the fruit layer.
   • Now comes the biscuit layer: Gently break or cut the cooled biscuits into bite-sized pieces and scatter them over the pudding.
   • Repeat the layering process: vanilla wafers, bananas, fruitcake, strawberries, and pudding mixture.
   • Finish the top with the remaining vanilla wafers, pressing them gently into the pudding.

5. Chilling and Serving (same as before):

   • Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight.
   • Before serving, top with remaining whipped topping and decorate with additional fresh strawberries and banana slices.

Tips:

• If you prefer a softer biscuit texture, arrange whole biscuits along the edges of the dish, leaning them against the sides, before adding the next layer.
• For a boozy twist, drizzle some rum or brandy over the fruitcake cubes before adding them to the layers.
• You can substitute the fruitcake with chopped nuts or chopped dried fruit for a similar textural contrast.

This version offers a delightful play on textures and flavors with the soft pudding, crisp wafers, sweet fruit, and the contrasting biscuit pieces and fruitcake chunks. Enjoy!