Banana Pudding Cake (Printable)
Moist banana cake with creamy vanilla pudding filling and whipped topping.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed
10 - 3/4 cup buttermilk
→ Banana Pudding Filling
11 - 1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
12 - 1 1/2 cups cold whole milk
13 - 1 cup heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks
14 - 2 ripe bananas, sliced
15 - 20 vanilla wafer cookies, roughly crushed
→ Whipped Cream Topping
16 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream
17 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
18 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract until fully blended.
05 - Fold the mashed bananas into the butter mixture until evenly incorporated throughout the batter.
06 - Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
07 - Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Whisk the instant vanilla pudding mix with cold whole milk until smooth and thickened, about 2 minutes. Gently fold in the whipped heavy cream until no streaks remain.
10 - Place one cooled cake layer on a serving platter. Spread half of the pudding filling evenly over the top. Arrange sliced bananas and a layer of crushed vanilla wafers over the filling.
11 - Carefully place the second cake layer on top. Spread the remaining pudding filling over it and add additional banana slices and crushed vanilla wafers.
12 - Beat the heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the top and sides of the assembled cake.
13 - Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours to allow the filling to set properly. Garnish with extra banana slices and wafer crumbs before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It bridges the gap between nostalgic banana pudding and a show stopping layer cake, giving you the best of both worlds in every single bite.
- The filling comes together with almost no effort, and watching peoples faces when you cut into it is genuinely priceless.
02 -
- Warm cake layers will cause the pudding filling to slide right off, so patience during cooling is the single most important step in this entire recipe.
- Tossing the sliced bananas in a tiny splash of lemon juice keeps them from turning an unappetizing brown before your guests even arrive.
03 -
- The biggest mistake I made early on was under mixing the butter and sugar, so take the full three minutes to cream them and watch how much lighter the batter becomes.
- Crushing the vanilla wafers by hand inside a zip top bag with a rolling pin gives you more control over the texture than a food processor ever could.