Oh my goodness! I just made the most amazing banana pudding cake, and I think I just found my new favorite treat.
With layers of creamy pudding, fresh bananas, yellow cake mix, and crushed Nilla wafers, it’s a dream come true!
It’s so easy to make, too. This dessert will surely steal the show at your next gathering!
Easy Banana Pudding Cake
This stunning cake is made with simple ingredients and little to no effort! The flavors and textures play off each other, creating a mouthwatering bite.
Since it uses a boxed cake mix, this treat is so easy to make. But people will think you’re a pro baker after trying it!
If you’re a fan of banana pudding, you HAVE to try this cake. It’s the ideal dessert if you want to impress without breaking a sweat!
Ingredients
Let’s take a look at what you need for this banana pudding poke cake:
- Yellow Cake Mix – A simple yellow cake provides a rich and buttery base. Choose a high-quality brand like Duncan Hines or Pillsbury.
- Eggs – They bind the cake ingredients together, giving it structure and richness. Use fresh, room-temperature eggs.
- Water and Vegetable Oil – They saturate the dry ingredients and keep the cake moist and tender.
- Very Ripe Bananas – Mash and mix them into the batter, so the riper and mushier, the better. They provide natural sweetness and intense banana flavor.
- Instant Pudding Mix – This sweet, creamy layer elevates the simple yellow cake. Use vanilla or banana as you prefer.
- Sweetened Vanilla Cream – Beat heavy whipping cream and flavor it with powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Vanilla Wafers – Crush and sprinkle them on top. They add a pleasing crunch to contrast the soft cake and creamy layers.
- Fresh Bananas – Slice and layer them on top. Choose perfectly ripe bananas. They should be sweet but can hold their shape when sliced.
How to Make Banana Pudding Cake
This recipe is beginner-friendly and so easy to pull off. Here’s how:
1. Prep. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line or grease your baking pan.
2. Mix the batter. Combine the cake mix, eggs, water, oil, and vanilla in a bowl and mix till smooth. Fold in the mashed bananas.
3. Bake. Pour batter into your pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
4. Make the pudding. Whisk the pudding with milk until thick, about 2 minutes. Pour over the cooled cake and chill to set.
5. Whip the cream. Beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to stiff peaks. Spread over the pudding mix. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
6. Serve! Top the dessert with more banana slices and crushed cookies right before serving. Enjoy!
Tips for Success
Follow these tips, and your poke cake will be a hit every time.
- Don’t overbake! Pull the cake out when a toothpick has a few moist crumbs. This prevents dryness.
- Poke holes. It’s not a poke cake, but you can poke a few holes over the cake if you like! It’s just make it even more tender!
- Tap the pan after pouring. This will help remove air bubbles and ensure the layers are even.
- Mix up the cake mix. Both yellow and white cake mixes work well, so pick your favorite.
- Pick your pudding. Vanilla and/or banana are the best choices. I like a mix to mellow out the flavor, but you can use either.
- Have fun with add-ins. Stir in chocolate chips, coconut flakes, or chopped nuts for extra texture and flavor.
- Modifications: If you want a thinner “crust”, use half of the cake mix and cut the baking time down. I did that in some of the above images and used the rest for cupcakes!
How to Store
This cake tastes better the next day, so it’s actually better to make it in advance.
To Store: Cover the pan well and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing it since it has a pudding layer.
More Easy Cake Recipes
Holy Cow Cake Recipe (Butterfinger Poke Cake)
Lemon Poke Cake with Lemon Glaze
Tres Leches Cake with Cake Mix
Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Butterfinger Cake
Banana Pudding Cake
12-15
servings15
30
minutes30
minutesThis dreamy banana pudding cake is quick, easy, and irresistible! The layers of yellow cake, pudding, fresh bananas, and crushed vanilla wafers are incredible.
Ingredients
- For the Cake
1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
3 large eggs
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
- For the Pudding
2 (3.4 ounce) boxes instant pudding mix (vanilla or banana)
2 2/3 cups cold milk
2 fresh bananas, sliced
- For the Whipped Cream
2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 fresh bananas, sliced
crushed vanilla wafers or chopped nuts, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit (175°Celsius). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Make the cake: In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, eggs, water, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in the mashed bananas.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.
- Make the pudding: In a large bowl, beat the pudding mix and cold water with an electric mixer on medium speed until thick and smooth. Spread evenly over the cooled cake and top with banana slices. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
- Make the whipped cream: In a large bowl, whip the cold cream and powdered sugar on low until slightly thickened. Add the vanilla and whip on medium until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the whipped cream over the slightly set pudding and chill until ready to serve.
- Garnish with crushed cookies or chopped nuts and more banana slices. Enjoy
Notes
- If making ahead, lightly brush the bananas (inner layer) with lemon juice. Ensure they’re fully covered by the cream so they don’t brown.
Iooks soo good love anything with banana’s
This banana pudding cake is amazing. I was so impressed and it disappeared so quickly. I did not substitute any ingredients and even made the whipped topping as described. I shared some with my husbands sister and brother in law. They loved it and I can’t wait to make another. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Hi Sandy!
So happy you enjoyed the cake.
I’m a huge banana lover and this is one of my all-time faves!
This cake is a keeper! I took it to a bakesale and it was gone. I’ve been asked to make it again for my friends. It is absolutely delicious! I will be making it again!!
You have a crust on the bottom of this banana pudding cake.
Where’s the recipe for that?
Hi Nikki!
It’s step 2 in the recipe: In a large bowl, add cake mix, eggs, water, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Stir in the mashed bananas.
You’ll bake that and then top it with the pudding 🙂
If you make it in a smaller pan, it’ll be thick cake. If you go for a larger pan, the layer will be thinner, like a crust.
I’ve actually gone in and modified this one, since the method was for a poke cake. So thanks for asking!