Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Discover the ultimate banana poke cake recipe that will have your taste buds begging for more. Creamy, delicious, and easy to make.
This banana pudding poke cake is a creamy dessert that’s guaranteed to be a hit. With layers of moist yellow cake, banana pudding, whipped topping, and vanilla wafer crumbles, it has all the flavor of classic banana pudding in an easy-to-serve format. It’s easy, too. Instant pudding, frozen whipped topping, and a cake mix make it a snap to fix.
Perfect for potlucks, parties, or just a special weekend treat, this one’s a definite keeper—my family asks for it again and again! You’ll put this one on repeat.
What You’ll Like About This Dish
Rich banana flavor. Layers of pudding, cake, and wafers capture the essence of banana pudding.
Great for gatherings. Easy to transport and serve, and always a crowd-pleaser.
Simple to make. Uses cake mix, instant pudding, and frozen topping for a no-fuss prep.
Make-ahead friendly. Best served chilled, which makes it ideal for prepping in advance.
Ingredient Notes
- Yellow cake mix: Any standard 15.25-ounce box will work—follow package instructions for mixing.
- Banana cream pudding: Use instant pudding mix for quick thickening and classic flavor.
- Cold milk: Needed to activate the pudding—make sure it’s well-chilled.
- Frozen whipped topping: Thaw before using for easy spreading; can sub with fresh whipped cream.
- Vanilla wafers: Crumbled for topping; whole ones make a nice garnish.
- Fresh banana: Optional, but great for garnish—slice just before serving.
Steps to Make Banana Pudding Poke Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
- Prepare the cake mix as directed with water, eggs, and oil. Bake as directed and cool for 10 minutes.
- Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes evenly across the warm cake.
- Whisk the pudding mix with cold milk until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Immediately pour the pudding over the cake, spreading it so it seeps into the holes.
- Chill the cake for at least 1 hour to let the pudding set.
- Spread thawed whipped topping over the chilled cake.
- Sprinkle with crumbled vanilla wafers. Garnish with sliced banana or whole wafers, if desired.
Tips
- Use a spoon handle. A wooden spoon makes perfect-sized holes for the pudding to soak in.
- Chill thoroughly. An hour or more in the fridge gives the pudding time to set into the cake.
- Add banana slices just before serving. This keeps them fresh and prevents browning.
- Customize the topping. Use crushed cookies, toasted coconut, or extra whipped cream for a twist.
Recipe Variations
- Banana Split Poke Cake: Top each serving with banana slices, chocolate sauce, chopped nuts, and a maraschino cherry.
- Coconut Banana Poke Cake: Instead of vanilla wafers, sprinkle the cake with toasted coconut.
- Fresh Whipped Cream: Instead of frozen topping, finish the cake with freshly whipped cream.
How to Store
Refrigerate: Cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days.
To Reheat: Not applicable—this dessert is best served cold.
Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 box yellow cake mix, 15.25-ounce
- 1 cup water, or as directed on the box
- 3 large eggs, or as directed on the box
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil, or as directed on the box
For the Pudding
- 2 3.5-ounce pkgs banana cream pudding
- 3 1/2 cups milk, cold
For the Topping
- 8 ounces whipped topping, frozen, thawed
- 16 vanilla wafers, crumbled
- 1 (banana, frozen, for garnish, optional
- Whole vanilla wafers, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
- Prepare the cake mix as directed with water, eggs, and oil. Spread the cake in the prepared pan and bake for 32 to 38 minutes, or as directed on the package.
- Transfer the cake to a rack to cool for 10 minutes, then poke holes evenly over the whole cake. I use a wooden spoon handle.
- Prepare the banana cream pudding. In a large bowl, mix the banana cream pudding with cold milk and beat with an electric mixer until well blended.
- Immediately pour the pudding over the cake, letting it fill the holes you made. Spread it with a spatula to ensure some pudding gets into all the holes.
- Chill the cake for at least 1 hour.
- Spread the whipped topping over the cake and sprinkle with crumbled vanilla wafers.
- Serve with banana slices and whole vanilla wafers, if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.
Notes
- Some cake mixes are a little smaller—13 to 14 ounces—and might require less water or oil. And certain cakes call for butter. Check the package directions to be sure of amounts, oven temperature, and times.
- If garnished ahead of time, the bananas will become soggy and brown. Avoid garnishing the cake with fresh bananas until just before serving, and garnish only as many slices as needed.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
