In my opinion, banana pudding is the perfect dessert. The combination of creamy pudding, soft Nilla Wafers, and fluffy whipped cream creates the ultimate combination of textures and flavors that simply can’t be beat. It’s a beloved Southern dessert with an army of devoted fans (myself included) — and for good reason!
This cake is everything I love about the quintessential Southern dessert, reimagined into a simple layer cake fit for a celebration. The moist layers of banana cake are layered with crushed Nilla Wafers and sliced banana, and it all gets coated in a light whipped cream frosting. While it certainly looks impressive, it’s actually incredibly easy to make. It comes together within an hour and stays moist for several days, thanks to a few clever ingredients.
As someone who loves both banana pudding & banana cake, I couldn’t be more excited about this delicious Banana Pudding Cake recipe!
Ultra moist banana cake layers are filled with a light (instant pudding-based) vanilla cream filling, layered with thinly sliced bananas and crushed Vanilla Wafers.
INGREDIENTS :
cake:
2 sticks butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 eggs + 2 egg whites
3 tsp vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
One 1.34oz box instant, sugar-free banana pudding mix
1 cup milk
Filling:
Whisk together the following ingredients and refrigerate until assembling cake (~10minutes).
One 1.34oz box instant, sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
1 1/4 cups skim milk
1 cup Cool Whip (or whipped cream)
To brush on layers: Mix together the following:
1 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk
1 Tbsp skim milk
You’ll also need:
2-3 medium ripe bananas
3-4 cups Cool Whip for frosting
INSTRUCTIONS :
Step 1: Make the cake
Preheat oven to 350 F. Prep three 8″ round pans by lining the bottom only with parchment paper. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Slowly beat in eggs and egg whites, one at a time. Beat in vanilla until well combined.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and pudding mix. Add into wet ingredients in three separate additions, mixing until just combined. Don’t over mix!
Stir in milk until combined. Divide batter and pour into pans.
Bake 22-25 minutes or until cake is golden and begins to pull away from sides of pans.
Allow cake to cool 15 minutes in pan. Loosen and remove from pan. Allow to cool another 1-2 hours on a wire rack.
Step 2: Begin layering
Level each cake. Place first layer on cake plate. Brush with a little milk mixture.
Line banana slices on top of cake. Spread 1/3-1/2 of the filling mix on top of bananas.
Place next cake layer on top of filling. Repeat with milk mix, filling, and final layer.
Step 3: Frost
This is the fun part. Frost with Cool Whip and decorate as you wish. I crushed some mini Nilla wafers and spread on top. Then used the wafers along the sides.
Whew! Sounds super complicated, but it was simple to make.
You may also want to put some Nilla wafers in between the layers. You know, if you’re feeling extra fancy and decadent.
Very important!!: Store this cake in the fridge!! Lots of perishable ingredients.
You’ve been warned, so I’m off the hook if you don’t refrigerate and get sick.
This may be a new family favorite. It’s definitely not a “good for you” cake, but this was a very special occasion.