This easy Banana Pudding Poke Cake has just a handful of ingredients! Fluffy yellow cake is bursting with a creamy banana pudding. Served chilled with a cool whip topping, it’s a perfect summertime dessert!
Remember how delicious this Lemon Pudding Cake turned out? Today’s recipe is just as irresistible. It’s like taking our favorite banana pudding and making it into a moist cake!
Cake with Banana Pudding
Instant pudding mix is the easiest way to change up flavors everything from cupcakes to Rice Krispie Treats.
- This Pudding Cake recipe starts a simple cake made from yellow cake mix and mashed bananas.
- After baking the sheet cake, you poke it with holes and top it with banana pudding.
- The pudding seeps into every crevice of the cake making it moist, sweet and packed with banana flavor.
- After chilling for hours, the cake achieves the perfect soft texture. The cool whip topping makes it that much better!
Ingredient Notes
- Yellow Cake Mix. Just the dry ingredients with this recipe. I haven’t yet tried using my yellow cake recipe, but if you do let me know!
- Bananas. Ripe to overripe bananas are best. Mash them in a separate bowl before adding them to the cake. Use my guide on how to ripen bananas if yours are too green.
- Banana Pudding Mix. Make sure to use the Instant powdered mix, not cook and serve pudding.
- Cool Whip. Thaw the cool whip while the cake chills. Or swap it for Homemade Whipped Cream instead!
Easy Instructions
First, make the banana cake.
Combine the cake mix with bananas, water and oil. Beat in eggs.
Bake in a 13 x 9 baking dish for 30 – 35 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes.
Poke holes in the cake.
Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
Make the banana pudding.
Whisk pudding mix with milk. Once it’s thickened slightly, pour the pudding over the top of the cake.
Chill and serve.
Cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Spread thawed cool whip on top when ready to serve.
Tips and Tricks
- Garnish the top of the cake with crushed Nilla wafer cookies right before serving for a crunchy topping!
- Make sure to use a 13 x 9 baking dish. A lasagna pan works for this cake too.
- Add the pudding in two batches for best results. Let the first half of the pudding sink into the holes before slowly adding.
- Be careful not to let the pudding drip off the sides of the cake. Pouring slowly helps prevent this, as the cake absorbs the pudding and softens down.
- Banana Pudding Cupcakes are a fun and easy twist to this recipe!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, keeping the cake chilled helps it stay fresh and maintain the best consistency.
If you can’t get banana flavored pudding, use vanilla instead.
Then add sliced bananas to the top of the cake before spreading on the cool whip.
I have made this cake as much as one day ahead of time. Keep it cold in the fridge and wait to add the whipped topping until just before serving.
Yes, you can. My Homemade Whipped Cream would taste delicious spread over banana pudding cake.
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Banana Pudding Poke Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 box yellow cake mix 15.25oz
- 1 cup mashed bananas about 2 ripe bananas
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
For the filling
- 4 cups milk
- 2 boxes JELLO instant banana pudding mix each is a 4-serving box
- 8 oz Cool Whip thawed
- 12 Vanilla Wafer Cookies crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray deep 13×9 baking dish with baking spray, or grease and flour. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat cake mix with bananas, water, and vegetable oil for 2 minutes. Add eggs and beat an additional two minutes.
- Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove and cool for 15 minutes.
- Using the handle of a wooden spoon, or a meat thermometer, poke holes all over the cake.
- In a bowl, whisk together the milk with banana pudding mix. Allow to sit two minutes until it begins to slightly thicken. Pour half over the warm cake, waiting a minute or two until it seeps into the holes (use an offset spatula to help). Then slowly pour the remaining pudding over the top, being careful not to let it run over the sides of the pan. (The cake will slowly absorb some of the pudding mix and soften down).
- Refrigerate cake 4 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, spread Cool Whip over the top and add crushed cookies.
Notes
- Be sure to choose a deep 13×9 dish (or lasagna pan). I love this one! Try to choose one that is at least 2.5 inches deep.
- Can’t find the banana pudding mix? Use vanilla pudding instead. When ready to serve, top the pudding with sliced bananas then add the Cool Whip.
Nutrition
You won’t be able to get enough of this amazing Banana Pudding Cake! With simple ingredients, it’s a temptingly delicious dessert that’s easy to make.
This is really delicious! Thanks a bunch for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again for sure! Loved it!
This banana pudding poke cake is truly amazing! LOVE how moist and soft the cake is!
This was such a delicious dessert, we could not stop eating it, we literally finished it in one sitting!!