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
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This post was originally published August 2, 2014.
More Banana Pudding Recipes
Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Banana Pudding Ice CreamDisclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
I plan to make this cake for Thanksgiving and if I make it a day ahead will the bananas get soggy on the cake and does this cake need to be stored in the refrigerator since I’m making it a day ahead.
Yes, store in the refrigerator and it will taste just as good the next day. If you don’t want it to be cold when you eat it, just take it out of the fridge and hour or two ahead of serving.
Ok thanks for the info and I will let u kno how everything turned out!
OMG!! This cake turned out perfect and everyone loved it! So rich and full of banana flavor just wonderful!!!
So happy everyone loved it Kim!
Can this cake be frozen after being completely assembled?
I haven’t frozen it before, but I think it should freeze well Sandra.
I made this cake looks so good but why was my frosting so runny and why do I have to keep it in the refrigerator for 3 days before I can eat it.
I says that you can store in the refrigerator for up to three days. It does not mean that you have to store it three days before eating.
My frosting was very runny as well, and my cake turned out too dense and gummy… Can I substitute butter milk for whole milk and baking soda for baking powder??
I want to make this cake today I only have 3 banana’s to mash up instead of 4 will that be OK
Do you think the homemade custard from banana pudding recipe would be okay as the filling?
Yes absolutely! The homemade custard is the only filling I use between the layers for my cake! It’s great, everyone loves it & it’s my Mom’s own recipe!😆 so yes try it instead!👍👌
I came across the recipe online and while I am no means a great baker, decided to give it a try. It was a great decision! It is delicious and has all the banana pudding favors with an impressive presentation. Of course my family of four loved it but I also shared with several neighbors who were very impressed. I love this cake and plan on making it again when my husband’s family visits in a few months. Thanks for the post and recipe!
You can use lady fingers instead of nella cookies just cut them in half and lay them up the cake Looks nice too. I added a fine crushed walnut to the top of the cake.
What a great idea Cathy!
Great
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I made it for a church potluck today and it was a big hit!
So glad they enjoyed it at your church potluck Kim! Thanks for letting me know it was well received! 🙂
could you use a banana cake mix or use banana nut bread for the cake part
Robin, yes you can use a cake mix or banana bread. Hope you enjoy!
could you use a banana cake mix or use banana bread mix for the cake part
I would like to try baking this cake for my boyfriend’s birthday! Planning to half the ingredients and bake a smaller one!
And I would like to know if I am supposed to freeze and thaw the whipping cream for the frosting?
I used Cool Whip for the frosting. You should be able to find it in the freezer section of the grocery store near the ice cream if you are in the US. You can let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight or it only takes an hour or two at room temperature.
I am going to make this for my husbands birthday in two weeks…..he is a Banana Cake lover….myself no so much. In going over the directions I understand all except….wrapping the cake in plastic wrap….would this not disturb the icing….or is that before icing the cake????Thank you Pat
I hope your husband loves this cake for his birthday Pat! Wrap the plastic wrap loosely around the cake. You can stick a few toothpicks into the top of the cake and they will hold the plastic wrap up off the top of the cake.
I live in UK, what can be used instead of nilla wafers and instant vanilla pudding mix. Please advice. …..thanks
Courtesy of a google search, Nilla wafers are a type of vanilla flavored shortbread, and pudding milk I read on a random site angels delight someone in the UK used as a substitute, also listed some places to possibly order pudding mix. It’s basically a custard mixed with milk and a certain type of startchy gelatin and it does not get cooked.
If someone else knows for certain that would be great, like mentioned first this info is from a google search, no guarantees of the correct ingredients or informaion.
Good luck
Thank you for taking the time to help with Farzana’s questions! I agree that vanilla shortbread cookies would probably be the best substitute.
Vanilla pudding mix is just a quick and easy way to make vanilla pudding. It can be purchased online http://www.amazon.com/Jell-O-Instant-Pudding-Filling-3-4-Ounce/dp/B00JD9XUEW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427987051&sr=8-1&keywords=vanilla+pudding+mix .
A recipe for homemade vanilla pudding could be used instead. This one would probably work fine http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/vanilla-pudding.html#!
I use Betty Crocker’s vanilla pudding recipe when making banana pudding. I’m pretty sure you can find that online. It’s good!
Did this for the first time and had a family cake off, it was a hit my cake won!!!!!!
Congratulations on your win! That makes me so happy. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. 🙂
Should the vanilla pudding be already made prior to combining with the cream cheese or is it combined the powder and cream cheese?
thanks!
You are just mixing in the DRY pudding mix with the cream cheese.
It has been ages since I have had Nilla wafers…they go perfectly with this cake. What a beautiful site…sounds like heaven. Pinning. xo, Catherine
My brother jokingly showed me this cake and said he wanted someone to make this cake for his birthday – he LOVES banana pudding. Our Mom use to make it especially for him. Well, it’s not his birthday; however, we are getting together after several months of not seeing each other this weekend and I’m going to surprise him with this cake. This will be the first time I’ve made it. I pray that all the wonderful reviews are correct. I’ll let you know.
How sweet of you to make this cake for your brother. Hope it turns out well for you and that he loves it!
My BROTHER, family and friends LOVED the cake. It was WONDERFUL………
Wow!!! This cake is absolutely amazing! I made it for my fiancées bday and we still can’t stop eating it. I realized I forgot the whipping cream! We were stopping by the liquor store picking up some wine and I saw bottle of bailey’s Irish cream liquor. I replaced the whipping cream with the baileys and it was definitely an added treat!!! Thanks for the amazing recipe I will definitely be making it again!
Yay! Glad you enjoyed it Lauren and great save on using the bailey’s Irish cream! 🙂
I have to say, I don’t even like bananas, but I made this cake and I am officially addicted to it! I have been craving this cake since I made it last month and now since it’s my birthday, I have a perfectly good reason to make it again! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe, you have changed my opinion on bananas forever 🙂
I want to make this cake but with only 2 layers of cake instead of 3. Can you tell me how much of each ingredient I would need?
I only did two layers and still followed this recipe… My layers were just a tiny bit thicker