Banana Pudding Cake is a fun twist on our favorite summertime staple and this makes getting your fix even easier. All the classic banana pudding ingredients wrapped into one addicting cake!
Hey y’all! It’s Kellie again from The Suburban Soapbox and I am a Banana Pudding addict. I guess there could be worse things to be addicted to but I love to make banana pudding (and of course banana bread) because it’s sooo super easy to whip up and you can play with the flavors a ton making your own versions like this Chocolate Banana Pudding that I could totally just dive into right now.
Banana pudding is such a great make-ahead dessert for the summer that I thought….why not turn this Southern classic into a Banana Pudding CAKE!!!
Let me tell you….this Banana Pudding Cake is one of the best recipes I’ve ever made. And it maybe even a little easier than the banana pudding itself.
Yes, of course, you need to turn on the oven but it’s really not that big of a deal because I used a box cake mix so this recipe is totally no fuss.
What is Banana Pudding?
Classic Banana Pudding is a southern dessert consisting of layers of sweet banana or vanilla flavored custard, crushed cookies and sliced bananas topped with whipped cream (find our favorite banana pudding recipe here). It’s usually served in a baking dish and pops up mostly in the summer months as a no bake dessert.
I really wanted to make sure the flavor of a classic banana pudding recipe was deep in the cake so I turned this into a Banana Pudding Poke Cake! That allowed the banana pudding to sink deep into the holes and turn the cake into moist, banana-y heaven.
What is a Poke Cake? And How Do You Make a Banana Pudding Cake?
A poke cake is exactly how it sounds…..a baked cake that you poke holes into after baking. The holes are then filled with a custard, jello or pudding mixture which is poured over the cake while it’s still warm. This allows the flavors to infuse the cake and keeps it moist.
Then, I topped the banana pudding layer with sliced bananas and a healthy mound of homemade whipped cream. If you want to make this recipe even easier, you can definitely substitute the whipped cream for Cool Whip but since whipped cream takes under a minute to make with just two ingredients I think it’s well worth the investment.
Lastly, I sprinkled a boatload of crushed vanilla wafer cookies to give it some crunch. I played with the idea of putting them inside the cake but I like the added texture the cookie crumbles give to the Banana Pudding Cake.
If you have never had banana pudding before this Banana Pudding Cake is a good way to jump right in and join me in my obsession. It’s great to take to picnics and parties in the summer months because you can make it in advance. If you’re looking to make some other type of banana pudding, take your tastebuds on a vacation with this Pina Colada Banana Pudding!
More Poke Cakes You’ll Love
- Creamsicle Orange Poke Cake – Childhood favorite!
- Chocolate Poke Cake From Scratch – Homemade and amazing!
- Coconut Caramel Poke Cake
- Strawberry Poke Cake – Summery flavors!
- Caramel Spice Poke Cake
Banana Pudding Cake
Ingredients
- 13.25 ounces vanilla cake mix and ingredients as directed on box, 1 box
- 2 boxes instant banana pudding mix 3.4 ounces each, 4 servings each
- 4 cups milk
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 bananas peeled and sliced
- 2 cups crushed vanilla wafer cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 13x9 baking pan with cooking spray.
- Bake the cake in the baking pan according the package directions.
- While the cake is cooling, make the pudding. Whisk together the pudding mix and milk until it begins to thicken. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.
- Once the cake has cooled for 10 minutes, poke holes in the top of the cake using the handle end of a wooden spoon. Be sure to poke the holes all the way to the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the pudding mixture over the cake and smooth with a spatula to fill the holes. Some pudding will remain on the top of the cake. Transfer the cake to the refrigerator to rest for an hour or overnight.
- In a large bowl, beat the confectioners sugar, heavy cream and vanilla with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form, approximately 1 -2 minutes.
- Layer the bananas over the pudding on top of the cake. Spread the whipped cream over the bananas and sprinkle the cookie crumbs over the whipped cream.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- For best results, add the cookie crumb topping to the cake right before serving to ensure they remain crispy.
- Nutritional information calculated without cake mix ingredients (water, eggs and oil) as these amounts vary depending on the cake mix used.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Repin this Fabulous Dessert Recipe
MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
Great recipes
I’m going to make 5his cake for my daughter 25th birthday….
I hope she loves it Paulette!
Does this cake freeze and travel well?
While I haven’t frozen this cake, it does travel well. If you’d like to freeze it, you may want to poke the cake, freeze it and then add the pudding the day of serving.
I wanted to make a dessert (Banana Pudding) that is my Daughter’s Fiancé’s favorite when they visited with us last summer. When I saw your recipe for the Banana Pudding Cake, I knew I had to make it for him. It was such a big hit that he has requested I make it for the Groom’s Cake when they get married this coming March 9th. Thanks Holly for helping me make points with my future Son-in-law! Regards, Mother-in -law to be in NC
What an honor! I’m happy to help you win over your son-in-law :)