Banana Pudding Poke Cake
This Southern-inspired treat is perfect for potlucks, family dinners, or when you’re simply craving something sweet, cold, and banana-filled.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch Baking Dish
- Hand or Stand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Wooden Spoon Handle
- Offset Spatula or Silicone Spreader
- Plastic Wrap or Foil
Ingredients
For the Cake Base
- 1 box vanilla cake mix
- Ingredients listed on the box (usually eggs, milk or water, and oil)
For the Filling and Topping
- 1 package (3.4 oz) banana instant pudding mix
- 2 cups cold milk (to prepare the pudding)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream or 1 tub Cool Whip
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (if making homemade whipped cream)
- 1 cup vanilla wafer cookies (half crushed, half whole for garnish)
- 2 ripe bananas (for garnish)
Instructions
Baking the Cake & Preparing the Pudding Layer
- Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.Prepare the vanilla cake batter according to the package instructions. This usually means combining the dry mix with eggs, milk or water, and oil. Mix until smooth and pour the batter evenly into your prepared baking dish.Bake the cake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.Once done, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes—you want it warm, not hot.
- Using the handle of a wooden spoon, gently poke holes all over the surface of the cake. Space them evenly, about every 1–1.5 inches apart. The deeper the holes, the better the pudding soaks in.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the banana instant pudding mix with 2 cups of cold milk until smooth and thickened slightly (about 2 minutes). You want it pourable but not runny.
- Cover the cake with plastic wrap or foil and place it in the refrigerator. Let it chill for at least 30 minutes, or until the pudding is fully set.