This Banana Pudding Poke Cake recipe is a delicious dessert that combines the best of both worlds: a moist cake with a banana pudding layer topped with fresh bananas and whipped topping.
This easy recipe is a crowd pleaser, making it a perfect dessert for your next family dinner or special occasion.
❤️ Why you'll love Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Banana flavor: this is a great recipe for banana fans who will love the intense banana flavor from the pudding and fresh banana slices.
Homemade goodness: I eliminated the yellow cake mix and made an easy homemade yellow cake and topped with instant banana pudding.
Perfect for any occasion: whether it's a birthday party, bridal shower, or just because, this banana poke cake is always a crow pleaser.
🥘 Ingredients
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Large eggs
Oil: use vegetable or canola oil.
Banana flavored instant pudding mix
Fresh bananas: be sure to use firm bananas that are not overripe.
Vanilla wafers (optional, for garnish)
🔪 Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.
- Transfer the cake batter into prepared pan.
- Bake cake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
- Remove from the oven and let cake cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once cake has cooled, make the pudding. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, mix the milk and the pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let the pudding rest for 3 minutes, or until pudding has thickened.
- Poke holes over the top of the cooled cake with the thick end of a wooden spoon.
- Spread chilled pudding evenly over top of the cake and arrange sliced bananas over top of the pudding.
- To make the whipped topping, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a large, non reactive mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed with a hand mixer until the cream has become stable.
- Evenly spread the whipped cream over the top of the banana cake. Cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.
🥄 Equipment
Square Baking Pan: I prefer a ceramic cake pan. The size should be 8x8 or 9x9
Mixing bowls
Hand Mixer and/or hand whisk
Wooden spoon
Spatula
Plastic wrap
🥫Storage
Refrigerate: store your Banana Pudding Poke Cake covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep it fresh. It can be stored for up to 3-4 days. If you have any leftovers, the cake actually tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together.
📖 Variations
- Chocolate Banana Pudding Poke Cake: substitute a chocolate cake for the yellow cake.
- Nutter Butter Banana Pudding Poke Cake: Incorporate crushed Nutter Butter cookies for a nutty, crunchy texture.
- Strawberry Banana Pudding Poke Cake: Layer fresh sliced strawberries along with the banana slices for a fruity variation.
💭 Tips
- To reduce calories and fat, cool whip can be substituted for the heavy cream.
- Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke the holes in the cake. Keep a paper towel close by to wipe off any cake that sticks to the spoon.
- Make sure the poke holes go all the way to the bottom of the cake.
- Spread the pudding evenly over top of the cake pressing down with a spoon to fill the poke holes
- If preferred, vanilla pudding can be substituted for the banana pudding.
📚 Related Recipes
This Pistachio Poke Cake recipe is a delicious cake with a lower sugar content.
This Minty Boston Cream Crepe Cake is made with layers of crepes and vanilla pudding.
Chocolate and coconut fans will love this Almond Joy Poke Cake!
Cheesecake fans will love this Banana Pudding Cheesecake recipe.
Eggnog Tres Leches Poke Cake is a perfect recipe to offer up during the holidays.
This classic Jello Poke Cake is an all time family favorite.
Strawberry Rhubarb Pudding Cake has delicious sweet and tangy flavors.
Red White and Blueberry Pie is a delicious pudding pie in a baked pie crust topped with white chocolate covered strawberries and fresh blueberries (Yum!)
🍽 Serve with..
Serve this banana pudding cake garnished with crushed Nilla wafers and extra sliced bananas.
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📖 Recipe
Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Equipment
- Electric mixer , or a whisk
- Round handled wooden spoon , for poking the holes in the cake.
- Plastic wrap , or aluminum foil for covering
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
FOR THE PUDDING
- 1 package Instant Banana Pudding Mix
- 2 cups milk
FOR THE WHIPPED TOPPING
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
OTHER INGREDIENTS
- 2 bananas sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.
- Transfer the cake batter into prepared pan.
- Bake cake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
- Remove from the oven and let cake cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once cake has cooled, make the pudding. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, mix the milk and the pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let the pudding rest for 3 minutes, or until pudding has thickened.
- Poke holes over the top of the cooled cake with the thick end of a wooden spoon.
- Spread chilled pudding evenly over top of the cake and arrange sliced bananas over top of the pudding.
- To make the whipped topping, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a large, non reactive mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed with a hand mixer until the cream has become stable.
- Evenly spread the whipped cream over the top of the banana cake. Cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.
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