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
- Bake and allow the cakes to cool completely.
- Pipe a border of frosting around the edges
- Top the cakes with a thin layer of sliced bananas
- Pipe or spread 1/2 the pudding mixture within the frosting border.
- Sprinkle with about 3/4 cup lightly crushed vanilla wafers.
- Stack the 2 cakes on top of each other, then top with the third cake.
- 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
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 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
- Baking- This is a very dense and moist cake. Be sure to line your pans with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Nutrition
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Jesica says
Hi! Am I able to make this into cupcakes instead of a cake?
Kathleen says
Hi Jesica. You absolutely can! I haven’t made this recipe as cupcakes so I’m sorry I can’t advise on exact quantity and baking times. They will be delicious though! Please let us know if you make them. Best of luck <3
Patricia LaLindez says
I made this recipe as mini cakes for my daughters Birthday…….EVERYBODY was amazed at the flavor, the moistness, the smell and the TASTE of the cake. They LOVED it so much it’s one of the requested Desserts for this Thanksgiving. Thank you for giving my family such great joy.
( psst… they’re Foodies and they know good food when they tast it ?.
Kathleen says
Wow! That’s so awesome, Patricia! ? Glad to hear it was a big hit!
Vickie Moore says
Check a keto egg substitute …There is a substitution but I can’t remember it .
Abby says
I really want to make this recipe! Can I hand mix instead of using a handheld beater?
Kathleen says
Hi Abby! Yes, you can mix by hand but it may take you a bit longer to mix the ingredients. Hope this helps!
Courtney says
My son and I really enjoyed making this cake. It was a huge hit too. Everyone said it was their too favorite. I LOVED everything except the frosting. I found it to be a tad gritty. Is this how it’s supposed to be? It was like sugar crystals that didn’t dissolve.
Kathleen says
Hi Courtney!
No the frosting isn’t supposed to be gritty at all. I find this happens when I don’t mix long enough with the handheld mixer or if I add too much sugar too fast. The sugar can be finicky and it does take a bit to dissolve. Worst case scenario, creamed cheese frosting is really good with this recipe! Hope this helps and thank you for the input.
Angela M Morris says
You can substitute unsweetened applesauce. 1/4 cup of applesauce per egg.
Kathleen says
Hi, Angela! Thanks for asking but I haven’t tried this with applesauce. <3
Joyce Schmidt says
In 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
Hey 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
Do I pre make the pudding?
Kathleen says
Hi 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
What 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
Gosh, Laura. I’m sorry but I really can’t speak to this. I’m just not familiar with those substitutions. 🙂
Garnet R Brooks says
Hi Laura, I have my own chickens and ducks…..I have several friends and customers that have egg allergies yet 3/4 or more have no problems with duck eggs….I have almost totally converted over to my duck eggs in my baking only using CK. eggs when I’m out of duck….
Kathleen says
Wow! I love hearing this! Thank you for sharing!! I’ve just moved to a property that I can have livestock on. I can’t wait to have chickens! All of my people have been farmers, and of course, had chickens. My Mom’s daddy also always had a duck. He would eat a duck egg every morning for breakfast. I think I need to add ducks to my new flock!!
Amanda kinseR says
Hi 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
Hey Amanda. So glad you liked the cake. <3
DEnise Hays says
My best friend made this cake yesterday for her son’s wedding. It was amazing. Everyone loved it!!!
Kathleen says
Yaaay, Denise! Thank you for letting us know! <3
Pam says
Hi – 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
Hi 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
I loved everything about this cake recipe.
Great cake!
Kathleen says
Thank you, Sonja! Glad you like it 🙂
Gwen says
I 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
Hey 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
So this cake should be kept in the frig?
Kathleen says
Hi, 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
Kathleen, I’m making the frosting-the mixture, before adding all of the sifted powdered sugar, is very thick. Is this normal?
Kathleen says
Hi 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
First 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
Thank you so much, Filicia! The cupcakes sound like a great idea <3
Tamika says
Can you use butter instead of oil
Kathleen says
Hi 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
I am baking this cake and have a lot of customers. How much should I charge them to make it
Kathleen says
Wow! Gosh, Ms. Bundy, I’m not really sure. I’m excited you’re making one of my cakes to sell. <3
Ruby says
This 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
It 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!
Venice Kingcade says
Thank you for the recipe I don’t like box cake mix even though I can make it homemade is the best I made it they love it
Kathleen says
Thank you, Venice! 🙂 <3