This Banana Poke Cake Recipe is like a mashup of a banana cream pie and banana bread. It is super easy to make and is bursting with real banana goodness. Perfect for your next party or get together.
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Why this Banana Pudding Poke Cake Recipe is a Keeper
Banana Cake is always moist and delicious, but this Banana Cream Poke cake takes it to the next level of moistness and gives a wonderful creamy flavor that will make this your favorite banana cake ever.
- 30 Minute Bake: Truly, it is quick and super easy because you use box cake mix.
- Easy Ingredients: All found in pantry or the fridge.
- Family Friendly: If your family are banana fans and love banana flavor, then they will really love this banana pudding poke cake.
- Makes Great Leftovers: It is so moist it is great to have leftovers. Make sure to top with slices of banana.
If you’re looking for more poke cake recipes, try these Patriotic Jello Poke Cake, Carrot Poke Cake and Coconut Poke Cake.
How do I poke holes in my poke cake?
Poke holes through the cake about 1 inch apart. If there are too many the cake will be too moist; if they’re too far apart, there may not be enough filling throughout the cake Don’t poke all the way through the cake. Aim for a depth that reaches a bit past halfway to avoid the filling pooling at the bottom.
Ingredient Notes for this Banana Poke Cake with Whipped Cream and Crushed Vanilla Wafers
This cake is guaranteed to be a hit at any potluck, bake sale, or gathering. It’s fun, festive, and insanely delicious. The recipe combines the best of cake and banana pudding.
- Yellow Cake Mix: You can use any brand that you prefer for this recipe.
- Bananas: Overripe mashed bananas are best for this poke cake recipe. And freshly sliced bananas for the top.
- Banana Pudding Mix: You need the instant banana pudding for the banana pudding poke cake. Pour it over the cake.
- Vanilla wafers: You need crushed wafers and use vanilla wafers to decorate the top.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions for Banana Pudding Cake with Crushed Vanilla Wafers
If you are a fan of delicious banana pudding, you will love this moist cake. The pudding poke cake is great for parties and potlucks.
- Chocolate: Try using chocolate wafers on top or a drizzle of chocolate on top of the cake.
- Extra Banana: Add a few extra pieces of banana when cake is finished.
- Sugar Free Pudding: The cake is so rich and delicious you wont even know that it is sugar free.
Wooden Spoon Poke Pro Tip
It’s best to make the holes in the cake while it is still slightly warm, because as it cools the crust on top of the cake will crumble more easily. Poke holes almost to bottom of cake.
How to Make Easy Banana Pudding Cake
This takes classic banana pudding and the flavor of banana cream pie and turn it into a moist, fabulous cake. If you love anything banana this is perfect for you.
These are the basic steps for making banana cream cake . Refer to the full, printable recipe post below for detailed instructions.
1. Prep
First, preheat oven to 350 degrees and then grease a 9×13 baking dish.
2: Prepare the Cake Mix according to Package Directions
Second, in the bowl of a stand mixer make the cake. Add the cake mix, eggs, water and butter and then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, mash bananas in a separate bowl and fold bananas into cake batter and stir until combined.
3: Bake Cake and Allow it to Cool
Then pour into a prepared 13×9 baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. When it comes out of the oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes.
4. Poke the Holes, Mix the Pudding and Pour Pudding Down into the Holes
Use the handle of a wooden spook to poke holes all over the cake. Be careful not to go all the way to the bottom. Next, in a bowl, combine the instant pudding mix and milk; whisk until combined. Allow the pudding to set for about 2 minutes. Pour the pudding over the top of the cake. Use a spatula to spread the creamy pudding over the cake evenly, gently push pudding, allowing it to fill the holes. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5. Homemade Whipped Cream Topping
Meanwhile, add whipping cream to the bowl of a stand mixer; Whip cream till soft peaks form. Fold in powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat until thoroughly mixed. Spread the whipped topping on top of the pudding and chilled cake.
6. Garnish with Crushed Wafers onto the Top and Banana Slices
Finally, top with crushed vanilla cookies and garnish with sliced banana on top.
Poke Cake Recipe FAQs
First, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the unpeeled bananas on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes. They will turn brown. Let the baked bananas cool, then scoop out the flesh with a spoon and mash.
There are several ways to poke the perfect hole in your cake. For example:
Round handle of a wooden spoon: This is the classic and most recommended tool. The spoon handle makes a good sized holes, and won’t crumble the cake.
Skewer: A standard wooden skewer works for creating smaller holes.
Chopstick: A chopstick will also work well.
There are many ways to present this delicious cake. For example, for an extra decadent touch, drizzle some caramel sauce over the top before serving. Or try adding shaved chocolate or chocolate chips.
Let the cake cool completely: A warm cake will absorb more liquid than a cool one. Make sure your cake is at room temperature before adding the filling.
Refrigerate the cake: Letting the cake chill allows the filling to set and the flavors to meld. This can also help prevent sogginess.
Expert Tips for Making This Banana Cream Cake Recipe
You can make this recipe with different cake or try using different nilla wafers or make it easy by using a container of cool whip. This cake combines a southern banana pudding and cake and can be switched up per the suggestions below.
- Add Cinnamon: Dust the cake with a little cinnamon.
- Nuts: Crumbled walnuts on top of the cake add a nice crunch to this Banana Poke Cake recipe.
- Pudding: You can use a vanilla pudding or a sugar free instant pudding for this cake. Sweetened condensed milk is also a good alternative.
- Different Cake: Try using a banana cake mix such as the Dolly Parton One. Prepare cake mix according to the package directions.
- Alternate Frosting: Feel free to add a cream cheese frosting to the poke cake.
- Eat the Cake: I add the crushed cookies and banana garnish to the cake slices as I’m serving them. This way the crushed Nilla wafers don’t get soggy and the bananas stay fresh.
- Bananas: It is important to put the bananas on top the cake at the last minute or bananas will turn brown.
More Banana Recipes
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Banana Poke Cake
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Ingredients
Cake
- 15.25 ounces Yellow cake mix
- 3 Eggs
- 1 cup Water
- ⅓ cup Butter, melted
- 2 Bananas, mashed (use overripe bananas)
- 3.4 ounces Instant banana pudding
- 2 cups Milk
Whipped Cream Topping
- 2 cups Heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup Powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 cup Vanilla wafers, crushed
- Bananas, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer add the cake mix, eggs, water and butter.
- Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mash bananas in a separate bowl.
- Fold bananas into cake batter and stir until combined.
- Pour into prepared 13×9 baking dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Use the handle of a wooden spook to poke holes all over the top of the cake. Be careful not to go all the way to the bottom.
- In a bowl, combine the instant pudding and milk; whisk until combined.
- Allow pudding to set for about 2 minutes.
- Pour slightly thickened pudding over the top of the cake. Use a spatula to spread it evenly, allowing it to fill the holes.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add whipping cream to the bowl of a stand mixer; Whip cream till soft peaks form.
- Fold in powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until thoroughly mixed.
- Spread the whipped cream on top of the chilled cake.
- Top with crushed vanilla cookies and garnish with banana slices. (see note)
Christina’s Notes
- Add Cinnamon: Dust the cake with a little cinnamon.
- Nuts: Crumbled walnuts on top of the cake add a nice crunch to this Banana Poke Cake recipe.
- Different Cake: Try using a banana cake mix such as the Dolly Parton One.
- Alternate Frosting: Feel free to add a cream cheese frosting to the poke cake.
- Serving: I add the crushed cookies and banana garnish to the cake slices as I’m serving them. This way the cookies don’t get soggy and the bananas stay fresh.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
This is a highly recommended Banana Cream Cake. I made it on a special night and eeeeveryone loved it.
Love this recipe! This will be on my Thanksgiving table for sure!
This was declared a hit at our family dinner on Sunday! They all still love banana cream pie, but this is one of their favorite cakes of all time. It was tender and not too sweet, which I was concerned about. And the whipped cream topping was a perfect finish. Absolutely delicious!
Really loved this banana poke cake recipe! Very easy and quick to make! And it turned out to be so delicious! Highly recommended!