Our Banana Pudding Cake is an incredibly moist three-layer dream cake with a cream cheese pudding filling, lots of bananas, and a luscious frosting.
I’m going to be really straightforward right now and state that I love cake, especially banana pudding cake. It’s so wonderfully delicious, and my banana pudding cake recipe is so easy to follow that I probably make it more than I should. Save yourself the hardship of a banana pudding cake pinterest search, because I have exactly what you need right here. Pour a cup of coffee, let your bananas ripen, sit back and feast your eyes on the best banana cake recipe from scratch ever to exist. Of course, if you’re on the hunt for another moist, triple layer creation packed with banana and other tropical flavors, I have that too. It comes in the form of Hummingbird Cake, and it is amazing. But lets concentrate on bananas now!
WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT THIS RECIPE
- The cakes deliver Serious banana flavor.
- The cake layers are incredibly moist.
- The cake, pudding, frosting combo is crazy, crazy, crazy Delish!
How to make a Homemade Banana Pudding Cake:
My recipe for banana pudding cake is pretty simple. Yes, I admit that it does tower over the banana pudding cake Trisha Yearwood whips up. However, acquiring the bananas and pudding is probably the hardest part. Start by making the banana pudding cake recipe from scratch. This is simple and straightforward; mix dry ingredients, mix wet ingredients, combine and pour into pans. Next, create your pudding layer by using a hand mixer. Finally, make your frosting…and there you have it! Now, assembly, et voila! You’ve just made a gorgeous showstopper. Follow the detailed instructions below and your cake will be the best banana pudding cake on Facebook. Oh, stop, you know you’re going to put it on Facebook. Tag us! Ahem, moving right along…
Note* If there’s just no time for three layers, try my Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. This is a super easy, one layer cake made in a 9×13 baking dish. Sometimes, less is more. Only sometimes. LOL!
SAVE THIS BANANA PUDDING CAKE
TO YOUR CAKE BOARD FOR LATER
LET’S BE FRIENDS ON PINTEREST! WE’RE ALWAYS PINNING TASTY RECIPES!
What are the ingredients for Banana Pudding Cake?
The ingredients in banana pudding cake can differ. A great example is the banana pudding cake Paula Deen recommends. She uses Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies. There will be none of that here. I make my banana pudding cake with vanilla wafers. No ifs, ands or buts about it! Other than the wafers being a key ingredient, my recipe for banana pudding cake doesn’t call for anything too crazy.
- Cake: Flour, baking soda, salt, bananas, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, sour cream and vanilla
- Filling: Instant vanilla pudding, cream cheese, heavy cream
- Frosting: Butter, vanilla pudding, powdered sugar, whipped topping
- Garnish: Bananas, whole vanilla wafers, crushed vanilla wafers
Note* Banana cakes can vary, so make sure you pick the best recipe for you and your family. The banana pudding cake recipe Southern Living lists is actually a banana pudding poke cake. Our own recipe for that will be posted soon, so be on the lookout! Also, this is not a banana pudding cheesecake, despite the call for cream cheese filling.
Step-by-Step Assembly Overview for Banana Pudding Cake:
- Bake and completely cool cake layers.
- Pipe a border of frosting around 2 of the layers.
- Place a layer of thinly sliced bananas within the border of the 2 layers.
- Divide the pudding mixture in half and pipe or spread 1/2 of it on the top of the 2 layers with sliced bananas.
- Sprinkle the tops of each pudding layers with about 3/4 cup crushed vanilla wafers. Gently press them down into pudding slightly.
- Stack the 2 pudding topped layers on top of one another then top with the 3rd layer.
- Finish the cake by completely frosting the exterior and decorating with a rim of a whole ‘Nilla Wafers around the base and top with remaining 1/2 cup crushed ‘Nilla Wafers.
**See Full Instructions In Recipe Below**
Banana Pudding Cake
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 Cups 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
- 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 degrees. Line 3-9 inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray with nonstick Bakers Spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt to combine. Set aside.
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, mix the banana, sugar, and brown sugar until combined.
- Add oil, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla 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 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 and cream cheese until smooth. With the mixer set on low, gradually add the cream and beat until the mixture is very thick.
Frosting:
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter until it's light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the pudding mix and beat until combined.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar. Beat until well combined and the mixture is smooth.
- Fold in thawed frozen whipped topping 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.
Nutrition
Recipe Notes for Banana Pudding Cake:
Vanilla Wafers: Vanilla wafers really do add so much to the flavor of this cake. Please note that the wafers will get soft, just like a banana pudding. While this happens to be my favorite part, I understand that others might prefer a different consistency. If you’re in that camp, I recommend holding off on the wafers and sprinkling them just on top when you’re wrapping things up to maintain the perfect level of crunch.
Make Ahead: You guys know I love a recipe that I can make ahead of time. Bake the cake layers a day or two before you actually want to put it together. This way, they’re ready to rock and roll when you’re ready to assemble.
Simply bake and let the cake layers cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place them in the fridge. They will come out deliciously ready for assembly.
Pan Release: Because theses cake layers are super moist and tend to be on the heavier side, I always line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper then spray them generously with Nonstick Bakers Spray
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 a consistency you want.
More Banana Recipes…
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Angela M Morris says
July 17, 2019 at 3:43 pmYou can substitute unsweetened applesauce. 1/4 cup of applesauce per egg.
Kathleen says
July 18, 2019 at 7:11 amHi, Angela! Thanks for asking but I haven’t tried this with applesauce. <3
Joyce Schmidt says
June 17, 2019 at 6:18 pmIn answer to Ruby about the sliced bananas browning in between the layers, you can spritz the slices ofbananas or quickly immerse them in a little lemon juice or even orange
I used orange pineapple. If you spritz or dip for just a few seconds, the bananas will NOT pick up the juice flavor and the bananas will not turn brown. Made this DELICIOUS cake and had it for 7 days- bananas were perfect!
Kathleen says
June 18, 2019 at 4:52 pmHey Joyce. Thank you so much for your response. I really thought that using this technique would impart a significant lemon flavor so I’ve shied away from it for years. You totally inspired me and I will be using it on all my recipes that have sliced bananas. So glad you enjoyed the cake. <3 Thanks for being part of our community and sharing your knowledge and info 🙂
AManda says
June 15, 2019 at 5:36 pmDo I pre make the pudding?
Kathleen says
June 16, 2019 at 1:15 pmHi Amanda! No, you don’t. The pudding mixture is used, rather as an ingredient in this recipe. Just pour the dry mixture into the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Then follow the next step for the frosting layer and continue on with the recipe <3
Laura says
May 22, 2019 at 1:13 pmWhat is the best substitute for eggs in this cake? I want to make it for my sons first birthday but her has an egg allergy. Thanks
Kathleen says
May 28, 2019 at 6:29 pmGosh, Laura. I’m sorry but I really can’t speak to this. I’m just not familiar with those substitutions. 🙂
Amanda kinseR says
May 11, 2019 at 10:09 amHi found this recipe and it was amazing. The only thing I had an issue with is that I ran out of icing before I finished the cake. But it was a great first try and will definitely be making this again
Kathleen says
May 13, 2019 at 8:15 pmHey Amanda. So glad you liked the cake. <3
DEnise Hays says
May 4, 2019 at 10:42 pmMy best friend made this cake yesterday for her son’s wedding. It was amazing. Everyone loved it!!!
Kathleen says
May 7, 2019 at 3:09 pmYaaay, Denise! Thank you for letting us know! <3
Pam says
April 22, 2019 at 7:36 pmHi – I made your cake for Easter and it was a big hit! I would love to see a butter substitution option for the vegetable oil in the cake for next time – but would still make it again. I did find that I didn’t have enough frosting to fill in the gap between the top 2 layers – so I moved up my cookie border to to cover the gap – sneaky solution. This is a super rich cake and the slices can be cut pretty thin – I served 12 and only cut half the cake!
Kathleen says
April 25, 2019 at 9:31 pmHi Pam! I’m so happy this was a hit with your family. Regarding a butter substitute, butter vs. oil cakes each have very different textures. I love them both. For this cake I wanted it to be dense and super moist, so I chose to make an oil cake. Sorry about the frosting. Did you happen to pipe it on? The only thing I can think of is maybe piping creates a more even distribution and that’s why it works for me. Super smart fix! I LOVE sneaky solutions! Wow! Can’t believe half the cake served 12. Great news on the leftover front <3
Sonja says
April 10, 2019 at 11:28 pmI loved everything about this cake recipe.
Great cake!
Kathleen says
April 12, 2019 at 4:54 pmThank you, Sonja! Glad you like it 🙂
Gwen says
January 21, 2019 at 3:40 pmI made the cake. Flavor was awesome, but texture was thick. Is this the way it is supposed to turn out? Also can the layers be halfed for a six layer cake instead? The frosting kept running off cake even after I let it set for over an hour.. What did I do wrong?
Kathleen says
January 23, 2019 at 12:25 amHey Gwen! Yes, this is a heavy, dense cake…in a good way, I mean that! I’m sorry I haven’t worked out different pan sizes yet. As far as the frosting running off, gosh I’m not sure. I paired the cake with a thick frosting so it would adhere to the tall cake and easily fill in the gaps where the cake layers stack. I wonder if possibly you added any liquid? Or maybe the frosting was too warm? I’m really sorry I don’t have an easy answer! I’m really happy you thought the flavor was Awesome! <3
Kelly says
January 16, 2019 at 2:57 pmSo this cake should be kept in the frig?
Kathleen says
January 16, 2019 at 6:04 pmHi, Kelly. After assembling the cake, it should be placed in the fridge before serving. For leftovers, yes, it should be kept in the fridge 🙂
Tammala L. says
January 2, 2019 at 1:43 amKathleen, I’m making the frosting-the mixture, before adding all of the sifted powdered sugar, is very thick. Is this normal?
Kathleen says
January 13, 2019 at 3:19 amHi Tammala. The frosting is thick but you should be able to spread it well. If your’s seems too thick, add only enough powdered sugar to reach a thick, spreadable consistency. Use the frosting immediately after you make it so it doesn’t become too thick.
Filicia says
December 27, 2018 at 9:21 pmFirst let me start by saying that this recipe is phenomenal. It’s so perfect in every way. I want to try make cupcakes would I half the ingredient sso I don’t waste batter. I’m making 12 cupcakes.
Kathleen says
January 13, 2019 at 3:52 amThank you so much, Filicia! The cupcakes sound like a great idea <3
Tamika says
December 2, 2018 at 4:09 amCan you use butter instead of oil
Kathleen says
December 5, 2018 at 9:36 pmHi Tamika. That would change the entire character of the cake and honestly, I’m not sure if it would work as a straight conversion. Sorry 🙁
Ms. Brudy says
November 13, 2018 at 6:23 pmI am baking this cake and have a lot of customers. How much should I charge them to make it
Kathleen says
November 16, 2018 at 4:23 pmWow! Gosh, Ms. Bundy, I’m not really sure. I’m excited you’re making one of my cakes to sell. <3
Ruby says
July 31, 2018 at 11:05 amThis sounds absolutely delicious! I can’ wait to try it. But I have a question first. Since this has fresh bananas between the layers how long would you say this could keep? Thanks!
Kathleen says
August 1, 2018 at 12:03 amIt will keep 3-4 days in the fridge.
But if you’re also asking how long the bananas will be at their “prettiest” I’d say that once it’s assembled, I try to serve it fairly quickly. By this I mean, after its assembled and frosted I refrigerate it just until the frosting has set and will cut nicely- 30ish minutes. The bananas will possibly begin to brown quickly thereafter.
In general, dealing with cut bananas that become exposed to air, I haven’t found anything that doesn’t alter the taste or add chemicals that keeps them from doing so.
For this cake I do add them directly to the top of the cake then I add the pudding layer. This helps them to not brown because they get “sealed” between the two and aren’t exposed to much air. Honestly, this step might keep them from browning completely, I just always serve it quickly so it’s not a worry <3 I hope that helps!