This Banana Pudding Poke Cake is a delicious and easy-to-make dessert that combines the classic flavors of banana pudding and yellow cake. With only 10 minutes of prep needed, this cake is perfect for BBQ’s, gatherings, potlucks, and more! The ULTIMATE Banana Pudding Cake that everyone will devour!
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Banana Pudding Poke Cake Recipe
Do you love banana pudding? If you answered yes, this cake is for you! The ultimate sweet treat! In fact, this cake comes HIGHLY requested in my house due to how moist, flavorful, and irresistible it is! All the flavors of classic banana pudding, but in cake form!
The inspiration for this cake actually came from my S’mores Poke Cake. As I was enjoying a piece, I started thinking of more flavor combinations and immediately thought of banana pudding. Using a few shortcut ingredients, it came together quickly and from there, is now a family favorite that I make each and every Spring and Summer season!
Why You’ll Love this Banana Poke Cake
- Easy- using boxed cake mix and pudding, this cake comes together in no time!
- Packed with goodness- all the flavors of banana pudding come together in cake form, what’s not to love?
- Perfect for any occasion- whether you make this for your family, or bring it to a BBQ, potluck, or gathering, it is the perfect dessert recipe!
Ingredients Needed for Banana Pudding Poke Cake
See printable recipe card below for exact ingredients and step by step directions.
- Yellow Cake Mix- 1 box plus ingredients listed on back of box, 9×13 cake size. Homemade yellow cake works great too!
- Banana Pudding- 2 small boxes of instant pudding, 3.4 oz
- Milk- this gets combined with the pudding mix
- Whipped Topping- thawed so it can easily be spread on top of the pudding
- Vanilla Wafers- crushed or whole, mini wafers work great too
- Bananas- about 1 banana, sliced
How to make Easy Banana Pudding Cake
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Prepare cake in a 9×13 pan according to directions on the box.
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Once baked, allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes.
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Using the back of a spoon, poke several holes into the top of the cake.
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Prepare pudding by combining the pudding mix and milk together in a bowl with a whisk until no lumps are present.
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Evenly pour pudding mixture on top of cake filling each of the holes.
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Place pan into refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until set.
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Spread whipped topping evenly on top, followed by the crush wafers.
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Finish the cake by placing the banana slices on top as desired.
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Serve and enjoy! Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers!
Variations
- Cake- you can use white cake or make a homemade, from scratch yellow cake.
- Topping- if you don’t want to use vanilla wafers, crushed graham crackers, lady fingers, or Golden Oreos work great too.
- Pudding- you can use vanilla pudding in place of the banana pudding if desired.
- Add On’s- Chopped pecans, walnuts, or drizzled caramel sauce make a tasty addition to this cake.
Tips
- Be sure to use INSTANT pudding in this recipe so it sets up properly.
- Don’t add the banana slices to the top until ready to serve as they will brown and won’t be as pretty.
- Make sure you don’t overbake the cake. You want it to be moist and fluffy, and over-baking will cause it to be dry.
- Poke the holes all the way through so the pudding gets into each and every hole. This ensures each bite is packed with banana pudding goodness!
- Allow the cake to sit in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours. The cake will absorb some of the pudding and really enhance the overall flavor.
Storing
Refrigerator- this cake can be covered and stored for up to 5 days in the fridge. The bananas will turn brown and the wafer topping may get a bit soft, but the flavors will still be great.
Freezer- if freezing, omit the whipped cream topping. Wait until the cake and pudding are fully cooled/set and cover. You can freeze pieces or the entire cake up to 3 months. Thaw and add whipped cream topping before serving.
FAQ’s
Can this banana poke cake be made ahead of time?
Absolutely! Although this cake needs a minimum of 2 hours to set, it actually is great if made 1 day ahead of time to really give the flavors time to infuse together.
Does this cake need to stay refrigerated?
Yes! Due to the pudding and whipped topping, when not serving, keep refrigerated.
Why is it called a poke cake?
Poke cake is a cake that calls for holes to be poked in it after baking, usually with the handle of a wooden spoon or a wooden skewer. Then a liquid is poured over the baked cake to soak into the cake holes.
Can I use homemade banana pudding in place of boxed?
Absolutely! I love a shortcut, but if you have the time, go for it! In fact, try my Old-Fashioned Homemade Banana Pudding for an easy dessert recipe that is perfect in this cake!
More Cake Recipes
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Easy Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 2 boxes banana pudding, instant (small boxes)
- 4 cups milk
- 8 oz. whipped topping
- 2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
- 3 bananas, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare cake in a 9x13 pan according to directions on the box.
- Once baked, allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes.
- Using the back of a spoon, poke several holes into the top of the cake.
- Prepare pudding by combining the pudding mix and milk together in a bowl with a whisk until no lumps are present.
- Evenly pour pudding mixture on top of cake filling each of the holes.
- Place pan into refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until set.
- Spread whipped topping evenly on top, followed by the crush wafers.
- Finish the cake by placing the banana slices on top as desired.
- Serve and enjoy! Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers!
Stephanie Lee says
How thick does the pudding mixture need to be?
Kristin says
It should coat the back of the spoon, and if you use your finger do draw a line through the pudding the line should hold its shape! Hope that helps! Enjoy!
PJ says
I love it when I find a recipe I want to make and the video on the page is something completely different. A video of the recipe would be great. I was looking for the banana pudding, not muffins.
Kristin says
Sorry for the confusion, the video player is actually a slideshow of all videos I currently have on my blog. If you continue watching it, it will show casseroles, grilled dishes, drinks, and more in addition to the banana cream cheese muffin video you saw. I am currently in the process of building my video collection and once a specific video comes out for the recipe, I stop the playlist and stick to just that recipe. Hope that makes sense and hope you enjoy the recipe!
Debra Williams says
Do u let it cool completely before adding the pudding to the top?
Kristin says
Nope, you only need to wait about 5-10 minutes before adding the pudding!
Debra Williams says
Does the banana get dark if made the day before?
Kristin says
I have made it up to one day prior and it stayed great. You can always add the banana to the top prior to serving though!
Rachael says
This is wonderful! The banana pudding is key … I only made one change.. instead of whipped topping like cool whip I made my own from heavy cream it’s less sweet and I liked that .. otherwise I made this as written and loved it!
Kristin says
Yea!! So glad you enjoyed it! Great idea on making your own cream!!