Magnolia Bakery debuts pop-up Banana Pudding vending machine in Williamsburg to celebrate launch of frozen-to-thaw pudding in grocery stores • Brooklyn Paper

Nov 14, 2024

Cupcakes are what made Magnolia Bakery famous, but its best-loved dessert is the Banana Pudding: it’s fluffy, sweet, and full of fresh bananas and vanilla wafer pieces. It was also, up until now, only available in the bakery, or online directly from Magnolia’s website.

The pudding couldn’t be frozen to be sold in stores, but the people wanted more. This week, the bakery debuted a newly-reformulated frozen-to-thaw version of the Banana Pudding, and it’s available now in some grocery stores, and to-order on DoorDash, GoPuff and Amazon Fresh.

To celebrate, Magnolia Bakery is hosting a pop-up event at Cafe Balearica in Williamsburg from Nov. 15-17, with dancing, music and a Banana Pudding vending machine, so Brooklynites can be among the first to taste the new dessert.

The celebration takes place from 5 a.m. to 4 a.m. on Nov. 15 and 2 p.m. to 4 a.m. on Nov. 16 and 17. The cafe will be mixing up a special banana daiquiri, perfect to sip with free pudding.

It took three years for Magnolia Bakery to formulate the new frozen-to-thaw pudding. The original recipe couldn’t be frozen or saved for later because it changed the color and texture of the banana slices, according to the bakery. But customers wanted some to take home.

“In development for over three years, we listened carefully to our consumers, our customers, and most importantly — ourselves — in developing a new product that not only felt novel, but complimentary to everything we do,” said Magnolia Bakery’s Chief Commercial Officer, Eddie Revis, in a statement.

The frozen-to-thaw version has the same fresh banana slices and flavor, but stays tasty and consistent when thawed out. Sold in ice-cream like pints, the new Banana Pudding is available in three flavors: Wafer Cookie Bits, Chocolatey Hazelnut Swirl, and Red Velvet Cookie Bits.

New Yorkers can try out the new pudding at Cafe Balearica starting Nov. 15, or head to the bakery’s website to find a local grocery store carrying the dessert.

“As we continue to build towards the future on our successful 28-year foundation as one of America’s most beloved bakeshops, our new Banana Pudding innovation will not only elevate the experiences of our loyal customers but also introduce new ways for people to connect with our brand,” said Magnolia CEO and Chief Baking Officer Bobbie Lloyd. “This has been a career-long dream for me and I’m so proud that we developed a product that is true to our brand DNA.”

A New Jersey native and enthusiast, Kirstyn is Brooklyn Paper’s digital editor and a reporter covering northern Brooklyn from Greenpoint to Gowanus.