Banana Pudding Cake (Printable)
Tender banana cake with creamy vanilla pudding filling, topped with fresh whipped cream and crushed vanilla wafers.
# What You 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 Make It:
01 - Preheat the 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 together using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract.
04 - Blend the mashed bananas into the butter mixture. Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined to avoid overworking the batter.
05 - Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each layer comes out clean.
06 - Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
07 - 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.
08 - Place one cooled cake layer on a serving platter. Spread half of the pudding filling evenly over the top. Arrange the sliced bananas over the filling and sprinkle a layer of crushed vanilla wafers on top.
09 - Carefully place the second cake layer on top. Spread the remaining pudding filling over it and add additional banana slices and crushed vanilla wafers.
10 - 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.
11 - Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours to allow the filling to set. Garnish with extra banana slices and wafer crumbs before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It captures every nostalgic flavor of Southern banana pudding but dresses it up as a show stopping layer cake.
- The creamy vanilla banana filling between each bite makes people close their eyes and go quiet for a moment.
- You probably have most of these ingredients sitting in your kitchen right now.
02 -
- Do not assemble this cake with warm layers because the filling will melt and slide right off into a messy puddle.
- Toss your sliced bananas with a small squeeze of lemon juice to keep them from turning brown before the cake even reaches the table.
03 -
- Freeze your mixing bowl and beaters for fifteen minutes before whipping cream because cold equipment whips faster and holds its shape longer.
- Roughly crush the vanilla wafers by hand inside a zip top bag instead of using a food processor so you get varied textures throughout the filling.