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Banana Pudding Cake Recipe: A Creamy Yellow Cake Poke Cake

Banana Pudding Cake

A chilled yellow-cake-mix poke cake layered with instant banana cream pudding, bananas, whipped topping, and vanilla wafers. This easy fruit dessert is creamy, tender, and especially delicious when served the same day the bananas are added.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 1 box, 15.25 ounces Yellow cake mix
  • 3 eggs Large eggs
  • 1/2 cup Vegetable oil
  • 1 cup Water
Pudding Layer
  • 2 boxes, 3.4 ounces each Instant banana cream pudding mix
  • 4 cups Cold milk
Fruit and Topping
  • 4 medium bananas Ripe but firm bananas
  • 1 8-ounce container Frozen whipped topping, thawed
  • 30-40 cookies Vanilla wafer cookies

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Prepare the yellow cake mix with the eggs, vegetable oil, and water, following the package caveat if your particular mix lists different cake-portion directions.
  2. Beat the cake batter until smooth, then spread it evenly in the prepared baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the center springs back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  3. Let the cake cool for about 10-15 minutes, leaving it slightly warm but not hot. Use the handle of a wooden spoon or a large straw to poke holes throughout the cake.
  4. Whisk the two instant banana cream pudding mixes with the cold milk for about 2 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Pour it over the warm cake and spread it gently so the pudding flows into the holes.
  5. Refrigerate the cake and pudding until thoroughly chilled, about 1-2 hours. Do not add the whipped topping while the cake is still warm, because heat can make the topping melt.
  6. Spread the thawed whipped topping evenly over the chilled pudding layer. Slice the bananas and arrange them over the topping, then add vanilla wafers between the banana slices and around the edges.
  7. Crush some of the remaining wafers over the top if desired, then refrigerate until serving. For the best banana texture and color, serve the cake the same day the banana slices are added.

Notes

Use instant pudding mix rather than cook-and-serve pudding. Choose ripe but firm bananas, add them shortly before serving, or brush them very lightly with lemon juice to slow browning. For a stronger vanilla-wafer flavor, crush about 10 cookies over the whipped topping and use whole wafers as the final garnish.