Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

Whipped cream is one of the simplest things to make from scratch—and once you try our Test Kitchen's homemade vanilla bean version, you'll never go back to the canned or frozen stuff. We use this Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream to top three of our newest variations on Banana Pudding—New-Fashioned Banana Pudding, Banana Pudding Pie, and Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars—but its lightly sweet flavor would pair well with any number of desserts, especially strawberry shortcake, fruit pies, and pound cakes.

You'll want to bookmark this recipe: This vanilla whipped cream is a recipe you'll come back to again and again. Using a real vanilla bean pod makes all the difference in this recipe, providing true vanilla flavor as well as those lovely dark specks to the fluffy whipped cream. If you can't find vanilla pods, look for vanilla bean paste—don't turn to vanilla extract unless it's a last resort. Powdered sugar keeps this whipped cream extra soft and plush—be sure to sift it before adding it to the bowl, as this variety of sugar has a tendency to clump up. You can substitute granulated sugar in a pinch.