Banana Pudding Cake (Printable Version)
Tender banana cake layered with vanilla pudding filling, fresh bananas, and crushed wafers, finished with whipped cream.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1¼ cups granulated sugar
07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed
10 - ¾ cup buttermilk
→ Banana Pudding Filling
11 - 1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
12 - 1½ 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 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, then 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, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract until fully blended.
05 - Mix the mashed bananas into the creamed mixture. Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Fold gently until just combined — do not overmix.
06 - Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each layer comes out clean.
07 - Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before assembling.
08 - 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.
09 - Place one cooled cake layer on a serving platter. Spread half of the pudding filling evenly over the top. Arrange sliced bananas and sprinkle a layer of crushed vanilla wafers over the filling.
10 - Carefully place the second cake layer on top. Spread the remaining pudding filling over it and garnish with additional banana slices and crushed vanilla wafers.
11 - 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.
12 - Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours to allow the layers to set. Garnish with extra banana slices and wafer crumbs before slicing and serving.
# Chef's Tips:
01 -
- The banana pudding filling soaked into the cake overnight creates this impossibly tender, almost custardy texture that no other cake really achieves.
- It looks like you spent all day on it, but the filling and topping come together in about fifteen minutes while the cakes cool.
02 -
- Toss your sliced banana pieces in a small splash of lemon juice before layering them, or they will turn an unappetizing brown within hours and your beautiful cake will look tired.
- This cake is at its absolute best on day one and still very good on day two, but after that the bananas weep and the wafers go soft, so plan your timing accordingly.
03 -
- Freeze your mixing bowl and beaters for fifteen minutes before whipping cream and you will reach stiff peaks in half the time with far less risk of overbeating into butter territory.
- The biggest flavor upgrade happens when you let your cake layers cool completely before assembly, because a warm cake layer will melt the pudding filling into a soupy mess and undo all your careful layering work.