Banana Pudding Poke Cake

This is the BEST Banana Pudding Poke Cake you’ll ever try. Fluffy yellow cake with creamy banana pudding is layered with freshly sliced bananas, vanilla wafers and whipped topping. This is one decadent, yet easy, dessert everyone will flip over!

Banana Poke Cake Recipe

We are huge fans of poke cakes at my house. We have the most fun coming up with and creating different variations. For all the chocolate lovers, this Oreo Poke Cake is hard to beat. For the peanut butter fans, you just can’t go wrong with this Butterfinger Poke Cake and when summer gets here, this Strawberry Poke Cake is always a huge hit!

But if you love classic banana pudding, this cake has everything you’re looking for. It’s like having the best of both worlds, banana pudding AND a fluffy, moist cake! It makes such a delicious dessert that’s perfect for any special occasion or even an everyday dessert.

Why We Love This Recipe

Flavor: From the fresh slices of bananas to the banana pudding, this cake is loaded with yummy banana flavor.
Semi-homemade: This is an easy recipe that starts out using a cake mix and a few other simple ingredients that you probably have on hand.
Super moist: Large holes are poked in the cake allowing the banana pudding to soak into the cake making this cake so moist it melts in your mouth!

What’s Needed to Make This Banana Pudding Poke Cake Recipe

Ingredients of Banana Pudding Poke Cake on a white counter. The ingredients are yellow cake mix, eggs, bananas, water, oil, banana pudding, and vanilla wafer crumbs.

Box of yellow cake mix: We used a yellow boxed cake mix, but you can certainly make a homemade yellow sheet cake, if you prefer.

Oil: Vegetable oil is used in baking the cake to add moisture.

Eggs: Added to the cake mix to give it volume and helps make the fluffy texture.

Banana pudding: We used this homemade banana pudding recipe (it is super easy and worth the few extra steps)

Whipped cream: We used Cool Whip.

Bananas: Look for ripe bananas, but not too ripe. They should have just a few dark spots starting to form on the skin.

Vanilla wafer crumbs: We used Nilla Wafers, but you can use any vanilla wafer type cookie.

How to Make Easy Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 cake pan with non-stick spray.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cake mix, eggs, water and oil. Pour the cake mix in the prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes or until done.

Once done, let sit for 15 minutes on the counter and then 15 minutes in the refrigerator.

Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes in the cake. Be sure to poke right down to the bottom of the cake.

Spread banana pudding across all the holes to fill them in,

Next, spread the whipped cream on top of the pudding, across the cake fully coating it.

Lay out sliced banana slices on top of the cake.

A step by step process of preparing Banana Pudding Poke Cake.

Next, sprinkle crushed vanilla wafers on top of the bananas.

Stick cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set up.

Once it has set, slice and serve. Enjoy!

Cover with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for up to several days.

A tray of Banana Pudding Poke Cake on a white counter

Tips and Add-in’s for Banana Pudding Cake

If you like the little bit of crunch from the vanilla wafers, you should wait to add them right before serving the cake. When you add them the night before, they become soft and lose their crunch.

This recipe calls for a yellow cake mix but can use a white cake mix or even a banana cake mix.

For a little bit of a tropical flavor, you can add drained crushed pineapple on top of the pudding layer

Instead of vanilla wafers, you can use crushed Chessman Cookies. They are more like a vanilla shortbread cookie, but they taste great in combination with the cake and pudding.

slice of yellow poke cake with whipped topping

Can I Make this Cake in Advance?

You sure can and it is even BETTER, the next day. The banana cream pudding oozes down through the cake and soaks in as it sits over night. It makes a great option for a make ahead dessert.

How Long will this Banana Poke Cake Last?

Banana Poke Cake is best when eaten within a couple of days. After that, the ripe bananas start to brown. Be sure and keep it covered with plastic wrap to keep it fresh. But trust me, you won’t have to worry about leftovers with this recipe!

Can I Freeze Cake Made with Fresh Bananas?

While you can certainly freeze this cake for up to a month, it’s best when eaten fresh. The texture of bananas changes slightly when frozen then thawed.

If you are wanting to freeze this cake, you could make the cake and add the pudding layer. Then wait to add the bananas and whipped topping after you have thawed it.

Want More Banana Recipes?