Banana Pudding Cake (Printable)
Moist cake layers with creamy vanilla banana filling and whipped cream topping
# 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 Steps:
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 flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together 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 wet mixture. Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined to avoid overworking the batter.
05 - Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each layer comes out clean.
06 - Let the cakes 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 milk until smooth and thickened, about 2 minutes. Gently fold in the whipped cream until evenly combined.
08 - Place one cooled cake layer on a serving platter. Spread half of the pudding mixture over the top. Arrange sliced bananas over the pudding and sprinkle with a layer of crushed vanilla wafers.
09 - Carefully place the second cake layer on top. Spread the remaining pudding mixture over it and finish with 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 layers to set. Garnish with extra banana slices and wafer crumbs before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The banana pudding filling tastes like something your grandmother would have made, except hidden between two layers of tender cake.
- You get all the nostalgia of classic banana pudding without fussy individual servings.
02 -
- I once rushed the cooling step and the pudding filling melted right off the warm cake, so patience here is non-negotiable.
- Tossing the sliced bananas in a little lemon juice was a game changer that keeps them looking bright instead of murky brown.
03 -
- The biggest secret I can share is to use bananas that are heavily speckled with brown spots, because those are packed with natural sweetness and mash into a smoother puree.
- Crush the vanilla wafers by hand inside a zip top bag rather than using a food processor, since uneven chunks give a more interesting bite than uniform dust.