Banana cream pie was invented by several different people around the 1800s.
The first person to make or invent banana cream pie is not known.
However banana cream pies origins lie in the late 19th century America as the bananas became more affordable, evolving from simple baked banana pies with whipped cream like the baked banana pie in the 1901 Woman's Exchange Cookbook recipe to the layered custard version of the banana cream pie that we all know and love today.
Early custard editions of banana cream pie appeared in the 1906 Blue Ribbon Cook Book, which also solidified it's status as an iconic comfort dessert by the mid 20th century.
In the late 1800s bananas became a common ingredient in the United States, which lead to banana pie recipes with baked bananas and a whipped cream topping.
Then in 1901, The Woman's Exchange Cook Book featured a recipe for a baked banana pie that was also topped with whipped cream.
In 1906, The Blue Ribbon Cook Book introduced a banana and custard filling, although it was still layered separately.
And in the Mid 20th Century, the banana cream pie gained widespread popularity, and became a staple in diners and also as an American favorite, with the custard and bananas eventually blending into the single creamy filling.
A classic banana cream pie needs a flaky crust (pastry or graham cracker), fresh bananas, and a rich filling made from milk, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch (or flour), butter, and vanilla, all topped with homemade or store-bought whipped cream for a decadent dessert.
For the banana cream pie, pie crust you can used a baked pie shell, which can be homemade or store bought use a Graham cracker crust by using Graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter.
For the pastry cream filling of the banana cream pie you can use whole milk, heavy cream, cornstarch or all purpose flour, granulated sugar, egg yolks, unsalted butter, vanilla extract and salt.
For the topping of banana cream pie you use some heavy whipping cream that is cold, powdered sugar or granulated sugar, vanilla extract and optional you can use store bought whipped topping like Cool Whip or chocolate/caramel shavings.