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.
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This cake recipe is excellent, i do not love the chemical taste of the boxed pudding, or the cool whip, but all together this is a great cake. i will use the cake recipe from now on for my version of this cake. Thank you!
Can you make this cake in a 9 x 13 baking dish ? I am not a fan of making layer cakes but love the recipe
I have the same question. I am thinking this would be great for an upcoming family reunion.
Great question, did she answer you?
I like banana no a pudding.so rightfully so I believe I would like the banana pudding cake would you please send the recipes to my email, including the banana pudding cheesecake because I don’t know how to put it on my phone, my email is brendabolden46@gmail.com
This has become my absolute favorite cake to make!
I would like to make this cake tonight. But, unfortunately I only have whipping cream, Not Cool Whip. Can I whip up the whipping cream instead of using Cool Whip to make the icing?
Absolutely!
Do i need to make the pudding according to the box or just add the packet of powder?
Do not make the pudding according to the box.
Please eliminate some of these reviews. It’s impossible to print the recipe for future reference without using up all your ink and paper
There’s a print button inside the recipe box. Use it and only the recipe will print.
can you use margrine instead of butter
I don’t recommend baking with margarine.
Could I make this a rectangular 2 layer cake? And what would I change to do so?
I am also curious about making it rectangular and possibly two layers
Yes, but you will have to experiment with the baking time.
Can you freeze andship this cake, I’ve made it often,it’s a hit!
Hi! Could you make this with a 3.4 oz box of banana flavored pudding instead of the vanilla or do you think that would ruin it or overpower the taste/cake? Thoughts? Thank you!
I would worry that it would have too much banana flavor. But it’s a matter of personal taste. If you really want the banana flavor to be strong, give it a try.
Made this cake for a family dinner and it was the BOMB!! Everyone loved it and I’ve been asked to make it again. Just printed it out for my best recipes binder, cuz this one’s a keeper!
Hate to seem in such a hurry but if my bananas sit on more day on the counter my hubby will make me trash them. Can this be baked as a bundt cake. I do not have all the other ingredients. If so how Lind should I bake it. Thanks
Don’t throw out ripe bananas . Peel them, put in freezer bag and pop into freezer. Makes wonderful cakes and banana bread!!!!!!
This cake is amazing! It isn’t too sweet and my family and friends loved it. My brother in law even said it tasted and looked like a professional cake. Now I have to make it for my husband’s birthday every year.
Just verifying….most receipes I have done call for unsalted butter. For the frosting…do I use unsalted or salted butter? My gut says unsalted but my OCD says to email and be sure before wasting butter! 🙂 Thank you!
With my recipes, if it doesn’t specify unsalted, I used salted which is what I use for this recipe. I know a lot of bakers like to use unsalted butter, but I hate the way it tastes when I slather it on bread and I don’t always want to buy two types of butter. You could definitely use unsalted but you may want to add a little salt too. 🙂
I want to make this for a weekend treat but I’m not sure if I’m understanding the recipe. Where is the heavy whipping cream added in the recipe? I see it in the ingredients but not in the instructions. Am I missing something?
You add it in step 8 where it says “cream”.
What is challenge butter?
It’s a brand of butter, but you can use another brand.
I want to make this for a church dinner. Will the sliced bananas turn dark?? Cake looks delicious. Thanks for the post. Loretta
In my experience , they don’t turn dark Loretta.
Is there anything you would recommend as a substitute for the cream cheese?
You may be able to just leave the cream cheese out, but I am not sure how well it would turn out. The cream cheese really thickens the filling up.
I make poke cakes, quite a bit, and I have found that if you use cooked pudding, instead of instant, it I, too, would leave out the cream cheese. On top of a cake layer, I would place the sliced banana’s, then pour on the still hot pudding, saving half for the next layer. Chill both layers, before putting the cake together. I may even be tempted to put a mashed banana in the cake mix. The heated vanilla pudding, over the banana slices, has an added bonus. The pudding takes on the taste of the banana. I am going to try this, soon, and I will let you know how it turns out.
My typing is crap today. I find that cooked pudding thickens and holds its form better than instant…and so I too, would leave out the cream cheese, and simply chill the layers before assembling the cake.
Do you know the carb count for this banana cake
Sorry, I do not.
My girlfriend made this for Superbowl yesterday!!!! Highlight of the game!!!!
Wow! That’s saying a lot becasue it was quite the game. Glad you enjoyed it!
A million
it has to be well over 100 carbs for this recipe. Not for diabetics for sure.
Can cake flour be a substitute for all-purpose flour in this recipe