Easy Banana Pudding Poke Cake (Potluck Favorite!)

Banana pudding poke cake takes creamy banana pudding and puts it on top of a buttery yellow cake with crunchy vanilla wafers for a fun twist on classic banana pudding. This is the perfect dessert to share at a potluck, and is so easy starting with a cake mix!

Why We Love Banana Pudding Poke Cake

• Creamy Classic Banana Pudding Flavor– Banana pudding poke cake takes all the flavor and deliciousness of creamy banana pudding and puts it both on top of and inside the buttery yellow cake. If you like banana pudding, you’ll love this cake that tastes like a cross between banana pudding and the flavors of banana cream pie.
• Super Easy Recipe For A Potluck Or Party– This recipe starts with a cake mix, and is easy to make that any home baker can make it. Kids also love to poke the holes in the cake with the end of a wooden spoon for the pudding!

Ingredients For Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Ingredients For The Cake

• yellow cake mix use your favorite boxed yellow cake mix
• water
• vegetable oil or other cooking oil
• eggs

Sometimes I’ll also add just a splash of vanilla extract to the cake batter for a smidge more flavor.

Ingredients For The Filling And Topping

• cream cheese softened
• sweetened condensed milk
• instant banana pudding dry instant pudding mix only, this gives the cake the banana flavor
• milk – 2% or whole milk will be the creamiest, but you can use whatever milk you have on hand
• whipped topping divided, like cool whip, usually two tubs
• vanilla wafer cookies for garnish
• bananas for garnish, optional

How To Make Easy Banana Pudding Poke Cake Recipe

Baking The Cake

1. Grease a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray. Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions, mixing in the egg whites (or whole eggs), oil and water as listed on the package in a large mixing bowl. I’ve listed the most common egg, oil and water amounts in the ingredients but use the amounts listed on your package. See notes in the recipe card for more information about the cake mix.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees for a metal pan and 325 degrees for a glass pan. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake according to the package directions, usually 28-35 minutes. You can check the center of the cake with a toothpick to make sure the cake is cooked all the way through in the center.

3. Let the cake cool for at least 15-20 minutes or until cool to the touch.  The warm cake can melt the pudding and whipped cream topping if it is too hot.

Adding The Filling And Topping

1. Once the cake is cool, poke holes in the cake in rows for the pudding, about 6-8 rows down the longer side of the pan. Use a handle of a wooden spoon, spatula, or a similar tool to poke holes in even lines all the way down the cake. Your holes don’t have to be perfect, you just want them somewhat even so you get some of the filling on each slice.

2. In a large bowl mix add the softened cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well until fully combined. This step is easier with an electric mixer but can be done by hand if the cream cheese is well softened.

3. In a second large mixing bowl, add the instant banana pudding and mix it with the milk until it begins to thicken. Then add 12 ounces of whipped topping (usually one tub) and fold it into the banana pudding mixture with a silicone spatula.

4. Combine the cream cheese mixture with the pudding mixture and mix well. Carefully pour the pudding over the top of the cake. Gently spoon and push the pudding layer down into the holes of the cake as needed.  This forms the creamy center in this delicious banana poke cake.

5. Cover the entire top of the cake with a layer of whipped topping, 12 ounces. Add vanilla wafer cookies (also known as Nilla Wafers) to the top, you can add whole cookies or crushed vanilla wafers.

6. Place the cake in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours but you can chill overnight to allow the pudding to set. Add slices of banana before serving if desired, then enjoy!

Variation Ideas For Banana Pudding Poke Cake

A lot of people have a lot of opinions when it comes to banana pudding as to what should and should not be included. I’m not going to tell you what to do or not to do. These variations will have a really delicious flavor, but may cause a stir at the table depending on how your crowd feels about banana pudding!

Add Nuts– Pecans are my favorite choice to add sprinkled on top of this cake, but walnuts go well with the flavor of banana pudding too. This isn’t traditional at all to banana pudding, but is a fun twist.

Swap The Cookies– We’ve used vanilla wafers, also sometimes called “Nilla Wafers but you can swap in graham crackers, Pepperidge farm Chessman style cookies, or another buttery shortbread style cookie.

Drizzle With Caramel- This may be a little controversial for banana pudding fanatics, but I think a drizzle of caramel goes really well with a dessert made with banana pudding. I suggest adding caramel per slice rather then to the whole cake if you think you might be at risk of upsetting someone, but it is gooey, buttery and so delicious.

Sprinkle Toffee Bits– Chocolate toffee bits are another really delicious addition to this poke cake on top. They are sweet, buttery, and add a satisfying crunch to the already creamy banana pudding.

Try Peanut Butter Chips– Listen this one pushes things a little bit more because the peanut butter brings a lot of flavor to the dish when added. Peanut butter and bananas are basically best friends flavor wise though, so add with caution.

How Long Will This Poke Cake Last?

You can keep leftovers in an airtight covered container in the refrigerator for about three days. Plastic wrap or aluminum foil can be used to cover the cake.

I recommend only adding fresh sliced bananas to the cake slices as you serve, as leftover banana pieces will not keep fresh long and will turn brown. The banana poke cake will taste better of you store this delicious dessert without the fresh banana slices.

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Course Baking, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Chill Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Easy banana pudding poke cake takes creamy banana pudding and adds it to a buttery yellow cake mix cake with crunchy vanilla wafers on top. This delicious creamy dessert is such a fun twist on banana pudding!

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• 1 9 x 13 inch baking pan glass or metal works for this recipe

• 1 spray cooking oil like Pam, you can also evenly oil the pan with a little cooking oil spread evenly on the pan

• 2 large mixing bowls

• 1 Silicone spatula

• 1 Electric Mixer recommended, but can be made by hand

For The Filling And Topping

Baking The Cake

• Grease a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray. Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions, mixing in the egg whites (or whole eggs), oil and water as listed on the package in a large mixing bowl. I’ve listed the most common egg, oil and water amounts in the ingredients but use the amounts listed on your package. See notes.

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees for a metal pan and 325 degrees for a glass pan. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake according to the package directions, usually 28-35 minutes.

• Let the cake cool for at least 15-20 minutes or until cool to the touch.  The warm cake can melt the pudding and whipped cream topping if it is too hot.

Adding The Filling And Topping

• Once the cake is cool, poke holes in the cake in rows for the pudding, about 6-8 rows down the longer side of the pan. Use the handle of a wooden spoon or a similar tool to poke holes in even lines all the way down the cake. Your holes don’t have to be perfect, you just want them somewhat even so you get some of the filling on each slice.

• In a large mixing bowl mix add the softened cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well until fully combined. This step is easier with an electric mixer but can be done by hand if the cream cheese is well softened.

• In a second large mixing bowl, add the instant banana pudding and mix it with the milk until it begins to thicken. Then add 12 ounces of whipped topping (one tub) and fold it into the banana pudding mixture with a silicone spatula.

• Combine the cream cheese mixture with the pudding mixture and mix well. Carefully pour the pudding over the top of the cake. Gently spoon and push the pudding layer down into the holes of the cake as needed.  This forms the creamy center in this delicious banana poke cake.

• Cover the entire top of the cake with a layer of whipped topping, 12 ounces. Add vanilla wafer cookies to the top, crushing them and sprinkling the cookies on top or you can also place whole cookies on top of the cake.

• Place the cake in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours but you can chill overnight to allow the pudding to set. Add slices of banana before serving if desired, then enjoy!

If the cake mix you have selected suggests adding different ingredients to it besides the water, oil, and egg, go ahead and follow the boxed instructions for baking a 9×13 cake. Occasionally different brands of cake mix will have other instructions, but most have water, oil, and egg added.
Many cake mixes have been shrinking their sizes down to 13.25 ounces from 15.25 ounces. You can swap in a 13.25 ounce cake mix one for one, but the cake will be just a little shorter in the pan when cooked.
I used the handle of the spatula to poke round holes in the cake. If your spatula handle isn’t round, use the handle of a wooden spoon or a similar tool’s handle to poke the holes.

Calories: 684kcal | Carbohydrates: 92g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 561mg | Potassium: 434mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 67g | Vitamin A: 539IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 288mg | Iron: 1mg

Keyword banana, cake, vanilla

Did You Make This?

I would love to see it! Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!