Banana Pudding Poke Cake {VIDEO}
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All the flavors you love in banana pudding come together in this Banana Pudding Poke Cake. Trust me on this, this banana poke cake tastes every bit as good as it looks — it’s hard to go wrong with a Nilla wafer banana pudding cake!
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Table of Contents
Why We Love Banana Pudding Poke Cake
I have a confession to make, I love anything with bananas in it! Banana pudding is no exception, and let me tell you, Banana Pudding Poke Cake…….WOW!
This is a convenience kind of dessert (aren’t most poke cakes?). Jazz up a box cake mix with some bananas, instant pudding, and frozen whipped topping (COOL-Whip), and BAM! Awesome cake!
But if you are against semi-homemade desserts, you could certainly use your favorite yellow cake recipe, banana pudding recipe, and make homemade whipped cream. I can only imagine how incredible THAT Banana Pudding Poke Cake would be!!
What Is a Poke Cake
If you’ve never heard of a poke cake, you don’t know what you are missing! They have been around since the 1970’s thanks to the clever idea of Jell-O brand for an easy hip colorful dessert using a cake mix, Jell-O and Cool Whip.
A poke cake is simply a freshly baked cake (from scratch or a box mix) poked full of holes (hence the name) something sweet, creamy, or syrupy is poured over the cake to fill up the holes and infuse flavor and color to the cake.
Orange Dreamsicle Jello Cake was my go-to dessert when we were first married. 😉
Traditionally, poke cakes are topped with whipped topping instead of cake frosting, so they’re usually refrigerated until serving. Making them the perfect warm-weather dessert.
Perfect for the busy housewife, poke cakes became a potluck and pool party staple.
This no-fuss kind of dessert is baked, prepared, and served directly from a 9×13 pan!
Today’s poke cakes have moved beyond the simple white and Jell-O gelatin. Red velvet, chocolate, banana, and lemon cakes are being poked and filled with everything from sweetened condensed milk, pudding, or mousse to pastry cream, pureed fruit, and other delectable toppings. The flavor possibilities are endless.
Literally, the easiest way to take an ordinary cake to a whole other level.
How to make Banana Pudding Poke Cake
When you are baking this cake, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
Banana Pudding Poke Cake is best made ahead of time, but leave the toppings until you’re ready to serve, so the bananas look nice and the vanilla wafers are crunchy.
I bake the cake, then let it cool for about 5 minutes, while I mix up the instant pudding; poke the cake, spread the pudding over the top, cover, and refrigerate at least an two hours ( or overnight is even better).
When I’m ready to serve, I top each piece with banana slices, whipped topping, and 1-2 crushed vanilla wafers – grab a fork and dig in!
If you’re serving a crowd and anticipate most or all of the cake will be eaten, go ahead and top the whole cake – but just know, if you have leftovers, the bananas will get brown and the cookies will get soggy.
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Recipe FAQs
Using the handle of a wooden spoon or a large wide straw poke the cake with large, deep holes, 1-inch apart and about three-quarters of the way down through the cake.
Note, holes too close together could make your cake too moist, and too far apart and there may not be enough filling throughout the cake.
The simple answer is no. Cook-and-serve pudding is thick and can not be poured into the holes of a poke cake. More milk is added to instant pudding mix which allows a pourable consistency for a moist and absolutely delicious cake.
yes! For best results, pudding poke cake should be served chilled and refrigerated for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the instant pudding to set up. Leftovers also need to be refrigerated.
We love poke cake. It really is an easy and delicious dessert that can be as extravagant or simple as you want. Either way, they are a perfect dessert to bring to a party!
They can be made a day in advance and can serve a crowd—– if you’re willing to share 😉 I’m always expected to bring desserts to any party I attend. Poke cakes go a long way with my family and friends.
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More Poke Cakes To Make
LIKE THIS BANANA PUDDING POKE CAKE RECIPE? PIN IT!
Leave a comment below telling me about your favorite poke cake!
Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Everything to love about banana pudding comes together in this easy, crowd-pleasing Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 prepared yellow cake (box mix + water, oil, and eggs called for on box)
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)
- 2 (4-serving size) boxes banana instant pudding and pie filling mix
- 3 cups cold milk
- 1 (8 oz) container Cool-Whip whipped topping, thawed
- 2 bananas, sliced (greener bananas will look nicer)
- 1 cup vanilla wafers, crushed
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 13x9-inch pan.
- In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, whole eggs and mashed bananas with electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl as needed.
- Bake 38 to 42 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack 5 minutes.
- While cake is cooling, whisk cold milk and pudding mix together in a medium bowl until pudding is soft and thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Using the handle of a clean wooden spoon, poke holes in cake, almost to bottom of pan, about every 1/2 inch.
- Pour pudding over cake immediately; spread evenly, working back and forth to fill holes. (Some filling will remain on top of cake.) Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
- Keep cold until serving. Then, top with sliced bananas, whipped topping and crushed vanilla wafers.
Notes
To Avoid The Bananas From Turning Brown:
If you are not serving the whole cake right away, instead of adding a layer of banana slices to the entire cake you could simply add 1-2 fresh banana slices to each piece of cake when serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 167Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 126mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 2gSugar: 15gProtein: 4g
Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used.
Hi there, I'm Cheryl!
As a wife, mom, and caffeine enthusiast, my journey has taken me from bustling mornings with my family to sharing delicious recipes, home care tips, and heartfelt decorating insights with wonderful readers like you. My love for baking, photography, and tidiness shines through every post I craft. Dive into my world and discover the art of homemaking, one tidy moment at a time. Read more...
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Holy cow Cheryl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Looks UNREAL!!! I must make this.
Poke cakes are the best because they are so EASY! This looks like no exception. Love the banana twist!!
banana pudding is my all time favorite desert, so I can only imagine how amazing this cake is! adding to my must try list
My son would LOVE this for his birthday! It looks So good!
I make this but add 8 oz cream cheese mixed in banana pudding, add drained crushed pineapple over bananas. The citrus acid keeps the bananas from turning brown. Then sliced fresh strawberries, shredded coconut. I add 8 oz soft cream cheese & 2 packets of Splenda & fold it in the whipped cream. Sprinkle chopped walnuts over it. I will add the crushed vanilla wafers to it & poke the holes in the cake. I’ve poked holes in cake & add jello to it before. It’s also gets you great compliments.
Yummy
I am a first-time poke cake maker…usually, I would read through more recipes before diving in, but I got excited about this and jumped in…head first. There are essentially no directions about how many holes, how deep, what size holes. That’s not to mention that there is also no directions indicating that the pudding must be made AFTER the holes are poked and used promptly before setting. I essentially have a pudding mix on top of my cake….not at all what I wanted or intended. Ah well, you learn and try again I presume.
“There are essentially no directions about how many holes, how deep, what size holes.”
RECIPE SAYS: Using the handle of a clean wooden spoon, poke holes in cake, almost to bottom of pan, about every 1/2 inch–
so it does tell those things:
how many holes?- you are making a hole every 1/2 inch
how deep? – it says “almost to bottom of pan
what size holes? it says using the handle of a wooden spoon – so the holes are the size of the wooden spoon handle
“here is also no directions indicating that the pudding must be made AFTER the holes are poked and used promptly before setting”
RECIPE SAYS:
4. While cake is cooling, whisk cold milk and pudding mix together in a medium bowl until pudding is soft and thickened, about 2 minutes.
5. Using the handle of a clean wooden spoon, poke holes in cake, almost to bottom of pan, about every 1/2 inch.
6. Pour pudding over cake immediately; spread evenly, working back and forth to fill holes. (Some filling will remain on top of cake.) Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Those are the directions in the recipe…….basically it states in this order
-while cake cools, mix pudding
-poke holes in cake
-pour pudding over cake immediately
It also doesn’t say which size boxed pudding.
it’s in the recipe:
2 (4-serving size) boxes banana instant pudding and pie filling mix
I like your page !
What size boxed pudding and how many?1 or 2? Sounds yummy,can’t wait to try.
it’s in the recipe – 2 boxes
2 (4-serving size) boxes banana instant pudding and pie filling mix
Do i follow the box of pudding for the milk amount or just the 3 cups you list in the recipe. There’s a big difference in the box and your requirements?
3 cups of milk (as the recipe states)
ENJOY!
Delicioso me quedo igual, lo recomiendo
Nice recipe everything I needed to know explained clearly. Making it right now for Thanksgiving tomorrow November 22, 2018. Thanks for sharing.
Yum, this looks so delicious!! I can’t wait to make it.
This is one of those desserts that disappears in a flash at my house! So good!
This is the dream cake. I’m obsessed with any and all things banana, this is one cake we make all the time and cant get enough!
This is one of my favorite cakes that I make from your site. LOVE IT 🙂
Such delicious banana flavor! Love the crushed vanilla wafers on top!
Can you use almond milk in cake mix
Absolutely the BEST cake EVER !!!!!My family LOVED it … i made one yesterday and was sent back to the store today to grab the ingredients to make another one !!!! thank you soooo much
Yummmmmmm! I love a good poke cake!
I pulled up this recipe from my Pinterest board to make it again for tomorrow. I also was rereading through the comments again–which I always find so helpful with recipes. I can not believe all the questions that were asked when the answer is right in the recipe! You were so patient with your replies. Bet you had the thought to just reply with ‘REREAD the RECIPE”! This is one of my go to cake recipes. I loved this cake & so did all the guests at the party! I just made it again this evening for a luncheon with friends. However, I found myself in a quandary. I thought I had grabbed 2 boxes of banana cream pudding (I like it better than vanilla for dessert.) Only to find out tonight that I didn’t have 2 boxes of the same pudding. 1 box was Cheesecake Jello—too late to do anything about it. So I made it with the 2 different types of puddings. (Not feelin’ confident about it since it had a definite different flavor & seemed to thicken more than I remember my usual banana cream. I’m hoping the cool whip will mask the bit of cheesecake taste. Oh well, they are very long time friends—we’ll either have a yummy cake or a great laugh!
Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks for the sweet comment!! Hope your cake still turned out tasty!!
Can you put the sliced bananas and whip topping on top of cake all at once and cut it later?
the bananas will start to turn brown if you do it too early
To hide the brown of the banana I put a layer of sliced bananas under the cool whip. Then top with crushed wafers. Just cuz it’s starting to turn brown doesn’t mean it’s bad!
Such delicious banana flavor! Love the crushed vanilla wafers on top!
How many calories per serving?
roughly 489 for a 1/12 serving.