Easy Banana Pudding Cake – Cookies and Cups

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This cake was inspired by my love for Banana Pudding and Banana Cake! I decided to try and combine the two and the results were fantastic!

✔ Easy to Make – Uses a boxed cake mix for simplicity!
✔ Rich Banana Flavor – Made with real bananas and banana pudding mix to enhance the flavor and make the cake extra moist!
✔ Perfect for Beginners – Simple steps with minimal prep. You just need a good nonstick bundt pan!

Ingredients For Banana Pudding Cake

The ingredient list is short, which is the beauty of this cake recipe. Make sure to scroll ot the bottom of the post (or click the jump to recipe button at the top) for the full recipe that you can print out!

• Yellow Cake Mix. You can also use white cake or butter cake mixes as well. Use just the dry ingredients from the mix, and follow the instructions for this cake recipe, not the instructions on the box.
• Banana Cream Pudding Mix. You will be using a box of just the dry mix, no need to prepare it! I have had trouble in the past finding banana pudding, but generally it’s right along side all the other dry pudding mixes!
• Large Eggs. Make sure to use large-sized eggs in this (and most) baking recipes, as size variations can alter your finished product!
• Vegetable Oil. You can also ue Canola or or even avocado oil or coconut oil (in it’s liquid form)
• Mashed Bananas. You will use 2 medium-sized bananas in this recipe, which will equal approximately 3/4 cup. Make sure you’re using ripe bananas because they are the sweetest!
• Powdered Sugar. You can whisk the powdered sugar before making the icing to break up any large lumps, creating a smoother icing.
• Heavy cream. Using heavy cream in the icing gives it a thick, rich texture and flavor. You can sub in milk for the heavy cream if you prefer, but you will need to add less, as milk is thinner and will produce a thinner icing.
• Vanilla Extract. I also like to use vanilla bean paste if I have it on-hand to add the little flecks of vanilla beans throughout the icing!
• Nilla Wafer Cookies. This is purely for garnish! Nilla Wafers, or shortbread cookies are a key ingredient in banana pudding, so including them on this cake worked perfectly!

How to Make Banana Pudding Cake

The steps to this cake recipe are very easy and perfect for beginner bakers. Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the full recipe.

Step 1: Prep the Oven and Pan

Preheat your oven and grease a 10-cup bundt pan with baking spray to ensure your cake releases easily after baking. You can also grease the pan with a layer of shortening or butter and dust it with flour or powdered sugar.

Step 2: Make the Batter

In a a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and an electric mixer), stir together the cake mix and banana pudding mix.

• Add eggs, vegetable oil, water, and mashed bananas.
• Mix on low for 30 seconds, scrape the bowl, then mix on medium for 1 minute until smooth.

Step 3: Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 45 – 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you notice the top of the cake is getting too brown, lightly tent it with aluminum foil to slow the browning.

Step 4: Cool and Release

Let the cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes before loosening the edges with a butter knife. Then, flip the cake onto a wire rack or a cake plate to cool completely before icing the cake.

Step 5: Make the Icing

Whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake and sprinkle crushed Nilla Wafers on top for a delicious crunch!

Expert Tips for the Best Banana Pudding Cake

• Use Ripe Bananas – The riper, the better! They add extra sweetness and moisture.
• Don’t Overmix – Mix until just combined to keep your cake soft and fluffy.
• Check for Doneness – The top of the cake will be set and a toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
• Cool In the Pan – Let the cake rest for 15 minutes in the pan before flipping the pan upside down to remove. This prevents teh cake from breaking at all because it’s too warm and tender, but not too cool that it will stick to the pan.
• Cool Completely Before Icing – If the cake is too warm, the icing will melt right off.