Layered Banana Pudding Cake

Layered Banana Pudding Cake: This ultra-moist banana cake recipe is topped with creamy pudding, fresh bananas, whipped cream, and vanilla wafers. It’s easy to make, and packed with southern charm!

Easy Banana Cake Recipe

Bananas and Baking are a perfect pair.

Ripe mashed bananas do wonders for the flavor and texture of cakes, sweet-breads, and even cookies!

They add additional moisture, without watering down the batter, and their natural sweetness complements other flavors instead of overpowering them.

Banana Pudding

In some cases, you can even use bananas as a butter and sugar substitute for healthier baked goods.

Although it’s great to use bananas as a baking enhancer, I often prefer bananas as the star of the show… Like in today’s Layered Banana Pudding Cake!

Traditional southern banana pudding is a classic American treat that is hard to resist and an easy recipe.

Layering pudding with fresh bananas and vanilla wafers gives it diversity in texture and flavor. However, I like my banana pudding with a bit more of a base.

What Ingredients You Will Need

For the Banana Cake:

• 15.25 ounce yellow cake mix
• 2 large ripe bananas, smashed
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

For the Pudding Layer:

• 5.1 ounce Vanilla instant pudding mix (the XL box)
• 2 2/3 cups whole milk

For the Banana Layer:

• 7 large ripe bananas, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch rounds

For the Whipped Cream Top:

• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vanilla wafer cookies, crushed

Here I’m using classic banana pudding elements on top of a tender banana cake, to create a tall, layered treat that is fabulous for any occasion.

This Layered Banana Pudding Cake is perfect for Easter and spring events, because it’s light and pillowy, looks gorgeous in its pan for potlucks, and slices into dreamy layers of heavenly bliss!

Layered Banana Pudding Cake Recipe

This easy banana cake contains 4 layers:

• Banana Cake on the bottom, made with a simple yellow cake mix and fresh ripe smashed bananas.
• Vanilla Pudding on top of the cake. Although one would think you would use banana-flavored pudding in a “Banana Pudding Recipe” I find the fake banana flavor to be off-putting and overpowering. Use vanilla pudding mixture and real bananas to create a much fresher taste.
• Bananas on top of the pudding. A generous layer of ripe sliced bananas offers a pop of fresh flavor to the layer cake.
• Whipped Cream on top of the bananas. You can use Cool Whip if you prefer, but I think homemade whipped cream is best. Completely cover the bananas with whipped topping to keep them from browning.

See the Full (Printable) Easy Banana Pudding Cake Recipe Below. Enjoy!

Choosing the Right Dish

Although you can use a standard 9X13 inch (3-quart) baking dish for this recipe, the top layer will tower over the dish. This makes it a little difficult to cover without ruining the top.

My preferred baking vessel for this Layered Banana Pudding Cake is a new 9X13X3 inch Pyrex Deep baking dish… Which holds 5 quarts and comes with an airtight lid.

Pyrex Deep baking dishes allow you to create, layer, and bake deeper than ever before! Proper storage can make all the difference.

Pyrex Deep dishes hold 50% more than standard baking dishes, so you can pour large layer-cake recipes into a single dish, without worrying about spillage in the oven. You can also use the 9X13-inch dish as a roasting pan for poultry and large beef roasts.

With our pudding cake recipe, I love that all four layers just come to the rim of this incredibly deep pan, so that I can sprinkle on toppings and cover it, knowing my toppings will still look pretty when I take the lid off of this airtight container.

That makes Pyrex Deep the perfect potluck dish!

Pyrex Deep Dishes come in three sizes… 9X13 inch, 8X8 inch, and 7X11 inch and are available at Walmart. To make them even more versatile, each is sold with that handy lid for easy transport.

If you are in need of new bakeware, Pyrex Deep is the way to go. You can easily fit all your classic casseroles and sheet cakes in these dishes without concern.

And when you’re feeling creative in the kitchen, you can stack them and stuff them higher than ever before!

Layered Banana Pudding Cake Recipe Tips & Tricks

Cool completely. I see you, impatient bakers. I know what you’re thinking… The cake just barely feels warm. I bet it will be alright if I add the pudding now. Ok guys, recipes state “cool completely” for a reason, not just to annoy you.

If you add the pudding too early, the heat will cause it to loosen and seep into your perfectly fluffy cake. Although the cake will still taste good, you may lose your pudding layer altogether. Go read a book, surf the web, or take a nap… Whatever is necessary to let your cake cool completely before layering.

Our Banana Pudding Cake is a wonderful make-ahead! You can make this cake up to a week in advance. Cover it with an airtight lid and refrigerate. If you want to decorate the top with fresh bananas, just leave them off until right before serving.

Have leftover cake? Yes, you can freeze it for up to 6 months! Just be sure to thaw the banana cake at room temperature before you are ready to serve it.

Change up the toppings! If you are feeling adventurous, try sprinkling toffee bits or chocolate chips over the top. Fresh berries are a good option as well. I’ve even added 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and/or 1 teaspoon coffee grounds to this cake batter to mix things up!

Want to slice it like a pro? You can create beautiful even slices, with all the layers showing, if you A) use a large serrated knife (like a bread knife), B) saw the cake in a short gentle motion, and C) wipe the knife off with a wet paper towel in between slices.

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More Decadent Spring Recipes

• Southern Cat Head Biscuits
• Fluffy Coconut Cream Pie
• Perky Lemon Bars
• Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
• The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
• Strawberry Yogurt Bundt Cake
• Cheesy Tomato Slab Pie
• Banana Pudding Poke Cake by Lil Luna

Check out the printable recipe card below for this dessert’s prep time and nutrition information.

Disclosure: This post is brought to you be Pyrex. All content, ideas, and words are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that allow me to create new and special content like this for A Spicy Perspective.

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