A layer cake with all the flavor of Banana Pudding. Fresh bananas, Nilla wafers, and whipped topping give this Banana Pudding Cake that wonderful down home nanner puddin’ flavor in a more sophisticated form.
Banana Pudding is one of my favorite southern desserts and I love experimenting with it.
From straight up banana pudding to banana pudding pancakes, banana pudding bars, and banana pudding cupcakes. Just about any dessert can be given some banana pudding love!
This Banana Pudding Cake contains 3 layers of cake flavored with mashed ripe banana. In between the layers of cake is really where all the pudding goodness comes in. Layers of Nilla wafers, fresh banana slices, and a thick and creamy pudding mixture made from a box of instant vanilla pudding, cream cheese, and heavy cream.
And of course what would banana pudding be without whipped cream? Butter, confectioners’ sugar and a container of whipped topping are combined to make a creamy, delicious frosting.
I don’t know which part I like better- the creamy banana pudding filling or the heavenly frosting. With all of the filling, this is one tall cake and it can feed an army. Store in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3 to 4 days.
Tips for making this recipe:
- In step 8 of the recipe, you are only mixing the dry pudding mix and the cream cheese. DO NOT add milk to the pudding mix and be sure to use INSTANT pudding mix and not the kind that needs to be cooked.
- Be sure to use a full 2 cups of mashed banana in the cake batter. Not only does it provide flavor, but it keeps the cake moist.
- You could use Banana-flavored Pudding Mix, but the cake may have too much banana flavor. It is a matter of personal preference.
This Banana Pudding Cake is tall and impressive and worthy of any special occasion.
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Watch a short How To Video for this recipe below.
Banana Pudding Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups mashed ripe banana
- 1 (3.4-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese,, softened
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 box Nilla wafers
- 4 medium bananas,, thinly sliced
Frosting
- 1 cup salted butter,, softened
- 5 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping,, thawed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Add oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract and beat on medium-low speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Beat in mashed banana.
- Pour batter into prepared pans doing your best to fill them with equal amounts.
- Place in oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes and then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
- Place pudding mix and cream cheese in a medium bowl and beat with a mixer set to low speed until smooth. Gradually add in cream and beat until mixture is very thick.
- Arrange about 15-18 vanilla wafers on top of one of the cake layers. Use a spatula to spread half of the pudding mixture on top of the wafers. Top with 1/2 of the banana slices placed in a single layer.
- Place a second layer of cake on top of bananas, and repeat layers: vanilla wafers, pudding mixture, and bananas.
- Top with final layer of cake.
- Make frosting. Beat butter in a large bowl until creamy. Slowly add confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth. Add whipped topping and beat until evenly mixed in.
- Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Decorate with vanilla wafers.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published August 2, 2014.
More Banana Pudding Recipes
Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Banana Pudding Ice CreamDisclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Made this cake for my birthday in November and it’s been a hit ever since!
So glad you enjoyed it! It makes a wonderful birthday cake. Hope you had a good one!
My brother, family, and friends LOVED the cake…… It was WONDERFUL!!!!!
Just a question though.
Will the vanilla wafers soften up a bit, or will they remain with the same original cookie crunch??
They will get soft.
Will be making this cake for thanksgiving…pray that it turns out good!!
Hope everyone enjoys it and that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
My cake turned out delicious…it was my first cake from scratch so making it was a little messy :)) Everyone loved it, but I do have a question about the aftermath of it. My cake was very thick (milk required texture lol) – almost like bread instead of moist cake. Is this the texture that it’s suppose to have?
my family would love this cake!
I have a family reunion to attend this coming Sunday Nov.3rd. Guess what one of my dessert’s is going to be? Yep, you guessed it……..this delicious looking cake.
Family reunions are so exciting! Hope everyone loves it.
I have a question. I’m making it right now and I have to be honest, it’s the first cake I’ve ever made from scratch so… I’m trying to follow it exactly as it says. Can someone elaborate step 8 for me please? Do I make the pudding mix as instructed in the instant pudding mix as pudding, shaker method it got pie? and then add cream cheese to it, mix and afterwards mix the heavy whipping cream?
You just use the dry pudding mix, without making pudding.
Just finished this cake today for a birthday and have to say it turned out great. The only thing I don’t care for personally was how sweet the frosting is. But the recipe in whole is awesome and I’d recommend it to anyone who love bananas. Thank you for posting this you helped make someone’s birthday extra special.
Thank you so much for the kind words David. The frosting is a little on the sweet side. Someone sure was lucky to have you make them a cake for their birthday! 🙂
Making a mini version of this right now, cant wait to try it!
Hope you love it!
This cake is amazing, my neice thought I was faking when I said I made it because it looks like the picture lol. It tasted just like banana pudding! Thank you for this wonderful recipe .
I’m glad you enjoyed it Barbara! It really does have a banana pudding taste doesn’t it? How funny your niece thought you were faking it. You must have impressed her 🙂
Oh my gosh, I love this cake! From the whipped cream to the vanilla wafers, it all looks so good! Especially the pudding in the middle. 🙂
That cake looks SOOOO decadent, all I want to do is sink my teeth into those delicious layers!!!!! <3 <3 <3