Banana cream pie cake

If you love banana pudding as much as I do, you are going to fall in love with this Banana Pudding Cake. It takes everything we love about the classic Southern dessert, creamy pudding, fresh bananas, and crunchy vanilla wafers and turns it into a stunning layered cake that’s perfect for birthdays, baby showers, or just a fun weekend baking project.

This cake is light, fluffy, and full of banana flavor thanks to banana pudding mix baked right into the cake layers. The filling is whipped and creamy with a little crunch from crushed vanilla wafers, and the frosting ties it all together with a smooth, buttery finish.

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 box Betty Crocker Vanilla Cake Mix

• 1 box Jell-O Banana Cream Instant Pudding Mix

• 3 large eggs

• 1 cup water

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• ½ cup crushed vanilla wafers (for layering inside the cake)

Filling & Layering:

• 1 cup pastry pride (whipped)

• Few drops yellow food coloring

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 1 ripe banana, thinly sliced

• ½ cup vanilla pastry cream or banana pudding (optional but highly recommended)

Frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

• 3–4 cups powdered sugar

• 2–3 tbsp heavy cream or milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease and line two 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, and oil. Mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth.

2. Pour a thin layer of batter into each pan, sprinkle on crushed vanilla wafers, and top with the remaining batter. Bake for 18–25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cakes cool completely.

3. While the cakes cool, fold a few drops of yellow food coloring and vanilla extract into the whipped topping. Keep chilled until ready to assemble.

4. For the frosting, beat butter until creamy, then slowly mix in powdered sugar. Add vanilla, cream, and salt, beating until light and fluffy.

5. To assemble, place the first cake layer on a serving plate. Spread on some whipped topping, layer with banana slices, and add a spoonful of pastry cream or pudding if using. Top with the second cake layer and repeat.

6. Frost the cake with buttercream, then decorate the top with more whipped topping and a generous sprinkle of crushed vanilla wafers.

7. Garnish with whole wafers for that classic banana pudding look.

Tips & Tricks

• Use ripe bananas: They should have just a few brown spots for the sweetest flavor.

• Make ahead: Bake cake layers the night before, wrap them, and assemble the next day for easier stacking.

• Extra creamy option: Use pastry cream or banana pudding between each layer for even more banana goodness.

This Banana Pudding Cake is pure comfort food in dessert form. Soft, creamy, and a little bit nostalgic. It’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser at your next gathering.