Banana Pudding Cake (Printable)
Moist banana cake layers filled with creamy vanilla pudding, topped with whipped cream and crushed vanilla wafers for a classic Southern dessert experience.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Banana Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - ½ cup buttermilk
10 - 3 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups)
→ Pudding Filling
11 - 1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
12 - 2 cups cold milk
13 - 1 cup heavy cream, whipped
→ Assembly and Topping
14 - 2 large bananas, sliced
15 - 1½ cups vanilla wafer cookies, roughly crushed
16 - 1 cup heavy cream, whipped (or prepared whipped topping)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the room-temperature butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract until evenly combined.
05 - Fold in the mashed bananas. Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir until just combined — do not overmix.
06 - Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
08 - Whisk the instant vanilla pudding mix with cold milk in a bowl for 2 minutes. Allow it to thicken for 5 minutes, then gently fold in the whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
09 - Place the first cake layer on a serving platter. Spread half the pudding filling over the top. Arrange a layer of sliced bananas and sprinkle with crushed vanilla wafers. Place the second cake layer on top and spread the remaining pudding filling over it.
10 - Top the cake with whipped cream, remaining banana slices, and additional crushed wafers. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving to let the flavors meld and the layers set.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of soft banana cake and silky vanilla pudding filling tastes like something you would find at a legendary church supper, but it is completely doable in a home kitchen.
- Every single person at my table went back for seconds, and my friend who claims she does not like bananas ate three slices without coming up for air.
02 -
- Underbaking even slightly will cause the center of your cake layers to sink once they cool, so test with a toothpick in multiple spots and add two more minutes if you see wet crumbs.
- Tossing the sliced banana garnish in lemon juice was a game changer I discovered after serving a cake with embarrassingly oxidized topping at a dinner party.
03 -
- A tiny splash of banana liqueur beaten into the pudding filling adds a grown-up depth that makes people close their eyes and ask what your secret is.
- Crush the vanilla wafers by hand inside a zip top bag rather than using a food processor, because irregular chunks give you both a buttery crunch and sandy texture in every single bite.