Banana Pudding Cake

This banana pudding cake recipe is the king of all cake recipes. It all starts with one of the best banana cake recipes ever. Then, you’ve got layers of sumptuous filling and frosting. This cake is simply bursting with bananas and vanilla wafers and YUM!

It’s not your run-of-the-mill pudding cake. The pudding in this recipe is in the filling and frosting, and it makes the cake! Banana pudding cake is my favorite of all my fruit cake recipes.

Let’s fire up the oven and get baking!

What I Love About This Recipe

Oh, the list is so long about the things I love about this recipe!

• The moist cake
• Tons of bananas
• The decadent filling
• Impressive presentation and more impressive taste

Banana Pudding Cake Video Tutorial

Ingredient Notes

• Brown Bananas-  To prevent the discoloration of the bananas, give your bananas a quick spritz with lemon juice or soda water.  Also, don’t cut your bananas until you’re ready to put them between the layers. The less time they are exposed to air, the slower they will brown.
• Frosting – The frosting is thick but you should be able to spread. Use the frosting immediately after you make it so it doesn’t become too thick. If your frosting becomes too thick to spread, add whole milk to thin, a little at a time until you reach the consistency you want.
• The consistency of the frosting can be greatly affected by the moisture or humidity of the air in which you live. This is the reason I give a range for the amount of powdered sugar used.
• Spreading the frosting- Be sure to add enough powdered sugar to make a spreadable frosting before you add the whipped topping. I find piping it around the cake and then spreading it with a spatula helps me get a thin, even layer.

Banana Cake Recipe Notes

This banana cake recipe looks harder than it is. Here are a few notes and tips to make it even easier.

• Baking- This is a very dense and moist cake. Be sure to line your pans with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

How To Make Banana Pudding Cake Recipe

1. Bake and allow the cakes to cool completely.
2. Pipe a border of frosting around the edges
3. Top the cakes with a thin layer of sliced bananas
4. Pipe or spread 1/2 the pudding mixture within the frosting border.
5. Sprinkle with about 3/4 cup lightly crushed vanilla wafers.
6. Stack the 2 cakes on top of each other, then top with the third cake.
7. Spread a thin layer of the frosting over the sides and top of the cake. Refrigerate. Add vanilla wafer for decor.

***See the full instructions below. 

Storing Tips + Make Ahead

• How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?  Store the cake in a well-sealed container in the fridge. This cake will hold in the fridge for 3-4 days. Just note as it sits, there will be changes in the textures and appearance- but it will still be delish!
• Can You Freeze This? With all the dairy and fresh bananas in this cake, it doesn’t freeze well assembled. However, you can freeze the individual cakes, and they will hold in the freezer for 3 months. Just be sure to wrap them well.
• Make Ahead Tips: This cake is best to assemble and serve. You can certainly make the cakes a couple of days in advance. Just wrap them well and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble.
• Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.

More Fruity Cake Recipes

• Harvey Wallbanger Cake
• Pumpkin Bundt Cake
• Coconut Cream Cake
• Coconut Sheet Cake
• Coconut Buttermilk Cake
• Banana Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
• Berry Chantilly Cake
• Strawberry Cake
• Hummingbird Cake

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Banana Pudding Cake

Banana Pudding Cake features moist banana cake layered with vanilla filling, bananas, and vanilla wafers. It's all topped with vanilla pudding frosting!

Prep Time45 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Cooling20 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Servings: 12 slices

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

Cake:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 (about 3 cups mashed) very ripe bananas mashed
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar firmly packed
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs at room temperature and lightly beaten
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pudding Layer:

• 1 (3.4-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 (3.4-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar sifted
• 1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping Thawed

Filling and Garnish:

• 2 bananas sliced
• 2 cups vanilla wafers lightly crushed
• 12-14 whole vanilla wafers

Instructions

Cake:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line three 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray with nonstick Bakers Spray. 
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour (4 cups), baking soda (2 teaspoons), and salt (1 teaspoon) to combine. Set aside.
• In a separate medium mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, mix the banana (about 3 cups), sugar (1 1/2 cups), and brown sugar (1 cup) until combined.
• Add oil (1 cup), eggs (4), sour cream (1 cup), and vanilla extract (1 tablespoon) and mix until combined and the mixture is smooth.
• With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and mix, just until flour disappears into the batter (do not overmix).
• Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 30- 38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, turn out onto a cooling rack, and cool completely. 

Pudding Layer:

• In a medium mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, mix together the pudding mix (1 box) and cream cheese (8-ounce) until smooth. With the mixer set on low, gradually add the cream (1 1/2 cups) and beat until the mixture is very thick.

Frosting:

• In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter (1 cup) until it's light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the pudding mix (1 box) and beat until combined.
• With the mixer on low, gradually add half the powdered sugar. Beat until well combined and the mixture is smooth. Add more powdered sugar as needed to achieve desired spreadable consistency.
• Fold in thawed frozen whipped topping (8-ounce) until evenly mixed.

Assembly:

• Pipe a border of frosting around the edges of 2 of the layer cakes. 
• Top the cakes with a thin layer of sliced bananas within the border of frosting. 
• Divide the pudding filling in half, and pipe or spread 1/2 the pudding mixture within the frosting border, on the 2 layers.
• Sprinkle with about 3/4 cup lightly crushed Vanilla Wafers. Gently press into filling.
• Stack the 2 cakes on top of each other, then top with the third cake.
• Spread a thin layer of the frosting over sides and top of the cake. Refrigerate until frosting has set a bit, about 20 minutes. 
• Press a border of whole Vanilla Wafers around the base of the bottom cake then sprinkle the top layer with lightly crushed Vanilla Wafers. Refrigerate cake for a minimum of 1 hour to firm and set. Serve cake.

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Notes

1. Baking- This is a very dense and moist cake. Be sure to line your pans with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

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