Banana Pudding Cake (Printable)
Moist cake layers filled with creamy banana pudding, fresh bananas, and crushed vanilla wafers for a Southern-inspired dessert.
# What You Need:
→ 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, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large bananas)
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - ¾ cup buttermilk
→ Banana Pudding Filling
11 - 1 box (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
12 - 2 cups cold whole milk
13 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream
14 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
15 - 2-3 ripe bananas, sliced
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Assembly and Topping
17 - 1½ cups vanilla wafer cookies, coarsely crushed
18 - Additional banana slices for garnish
19 - Whipped cream (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the mashed bananas and vanilla extract until fully combined.
04 - Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Begin and end with the dry mixture, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
06 - While the cakes cool, whisk the instant vanilla pudding mix with cold milk in a bowl until thickened, about 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract to soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture.
07 - Place the first cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a generous layer of banana pudding filling over the top. Arrange sliced bananas over the filling and sprinkle with a layer of crushed vanilla wafers.
08 - Place the second cake layer on top. Spread the remaining pudding filling over the top and sides if desired. Garnish with additional banana slices, crushed vanilla wafers, and optional whipped cream.
09 - Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the layers to set properly.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The banana pudding soaking into the cake layers overnight creates something almost trifle like in the best way possible.
- It looks impressive but the steps are surprisingly forgiving for new bakers.
02 -
- Toss the sliced bananas in a light drizzle of lemon juice before layering them or they will turn an unappetizing brown within hours.
- This cake is best eaten within two days because the fresh bananas and pudding filling do not hold up much longer than that.
03 -
- Use bananas that are so ripe you would normally throw them away because that is when their flavor is at its absolute peak.
- Crush the vanilla wafers by hand inside a zip top bag rather than using a food processor so you get varied texture instead of uniform crumbs.