This easy Banana Pudding Poke Cake recipe uses cake mix, banana pudding, and whipped cream to make a phenomenal flavor combo! So simple to make and perfect for summer.
5 from 26 votes
Prep Time 15 minutesmins
Cook Time 40 minutesmins
Resting/Refrigeration Time 3 hourshrs
Total Time 3 hourshrs55 minutesmins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16
Calories 320kcal
Ingredients
15.25ozbanana cake mixUse yellow cake mix if banana is unavailable.
Mix banana cake mix, 1 cup milk, 4 eggs, and stick of room temperature butter and pour batter into a 9x12" glass baking dish. Bake in the oven according to package directions. Allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes.
Once cool, using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes every 1-2 inches in the cake. You want to go all the way down to the bottom...get in there good!
Whisk pudding mix and 2 ½ cups milk. Stir well to get any lumps out of the mix. Just after mixing, pour this pudding mixture over the cake. Use the wooden spoon to spread the pudding mix into the cake. You want very little mix pooling on top.
Chill your cake, covered, in the fridge for a few hours (I chilled mine overnight). This gives the cake time to cool and the pudding time to set.
Once cooled, "frost" the cake with the Cool Whip. Sprinkle the crushed vanilla wafers over the top. Just prior to serving, slice the bananas over the top (you don't want to do it too early, or the bananas will brown).
Notes
Don't top the poke cake with bananas until just before you're ready to serve. They brown quickly!
If you must put bananas on the cake more than an hour or so before serving, toss the banana slices in a little bit of lemon juice. That will buy you some time (but will give the banana slices a noticeable tangy flavor). I wouldn't top the cake with banana slices at all until you're within 24 hours of serving.
This cake should be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days after preparing. I'd recommend not slicing the cake until you're ready to serve it.
I do not recommend freezing this cake. The texture is just never right after coming out of the freezer.
Make sure to spray your baking pan with cooking spray or rub it with vegetable oil before pouring in your cake batter.