I’m sharing my Banana Pudding Poke Cake, a surprisingly simple dessert made with cake mix, banana pudding, Cool Whip and crushed Nilla Wafers that has everyone asking for the recipe.
I never thought a simple sheet of cake could cause this much trouble, but I kept making excuses to bake it. My BEST BANANA PUDDING POKE CAKE (+Video) starts with a humble yellow cake mix and finishes with a pile of Cool Whip that somehow makes everything feel celebratory.
If you’re into Banana Pudding Poke Cake or the lighter twist of Banana Cream Poke Cake, you’ll want to watch the video, because I show the one trick that keeps the pudding from turning the cake soggy, and yes I messed up the first time so you don’t have to. Trust me, it’s worth the tiny bit of effort.
Ingredients
- Yellow cake mix: Refined carbs, adds sweetness and structure, low fiber, quick and convenient.
- Eggs: Protein boost, adds richness and moisture, help set the cake.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Very sweet, high sugar and calories, adds creamy caramel notes.
- Instant banana pudding mix: Artificial banana flavor, lots of carbs and sweet, thickens the filling.
- Bananas: Natural sweetness, fiber and potassium, fresh flavor ripeness affects sweetness.
- Nilla Wafers: Crunchy, buttery cookies, mostly carbs and sugar, give texture and nostalgia.
- Frozen whipped topping: Lightly sweet, mostly air and fat, adds fluffy creaminess without heavy dairy.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (3.4 oz) package instant banana pudding mix
- 2 cups cold milk for the pudding
- 8 oz frozen whipped topping like Cool Whip, thawed
- 4 to 5 ripe bananas, sliced
- 11 oz Nilla Wafers, crushed (about 3 cups)
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to the temperature on the cake mix box and spray a 9 by 13 inch pan with cooking spray. Mix the yellow cake mix with 3 large eggs, 1 cup vegetable oil and 1 cup water according to the package directions until smooth.
2. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for the time the box says, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Dont overbake it; you want the cake to still be able to soak up the filling.
3. While the cake bakes, let the 8 ounce frozen whipped topping thaw in the fridge and crush about 11 ounces of Nilla Wafers (aim for 3 cups) in a zip bag or with a rolling pin. Slice 4 to 5 ripe bananas and set aside.
4. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, use the handle of a wooden spoon or a large fork to poke holes all over the top about 1 inch apart. You want them deep enough to reach near the bottom but dont poke through the pan.
5. Pour the entire 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk evenly over the hot cake, letting it sink into the holes. Gently press with the back of a spoon if needed to help distribute it.
6. In a bowl, whisk the
3.4 ounce instant banana pudding mix with 2 cups cold milk until thick (about 2 minutes). Spoon or pour the pudding over the cake spreading to fill holes and cover the surface.
7. Let the cake cool to room temperature, then spread the thawed whipped topping evenly over the pudding layer. Arrange the banana slices on top, covering the whole cake or just making a single layer, your call.
8. Sprinkle most of the crushed Nilla Wafers over the top, reserving a handful for garnish. For extra texture, press a few whole wafers into the edges.
9. Chill the cake in the refrigerator at least 2 hours, but overnight is better so the flavors set and the bananas stop browning. Serve cold, scoop with lots of banana and cookie crumbs, and enjoy.
Equipment Needed
1. 9×13 inch baking pan and cooking spray
2. Large mixing bowl (for the cake batter)
3. Electric hand mixer or a sturdy whisk
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Wooden spoon (use the handle to poke holes) or a large fork
6. Rolling pin or a heavy jar plus a zip bag for crushing the cookies
7. Can opener and a rubber spatula for scraping the sweetened condensed milk and pudding bowl
8. Knife and cutting board for slicing the bananas
9. Toothpick or skewer to test cake doneness
FAQ
BEST BANANA PUDDING POKE CAKE (+Video) Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Yellow cake mix: swap for a white or vanilla box cake mix. Same bake time and method, you just get a milder flavor, it’s fine if you dont have yellow.
- Sweetened condensed milk: if you dont have it simmer 1 cup evaporated milk with 1 cup sugar until it thickens a bit, or use a can of sweetened condensed coconut milk for a dairy free swap.
- Instant banana pudding mix: use a vanilla instant pudding packet plus 1 mashed banana folded in, or make a cooked banana pudding with milk sugar and cornstarch if you prefer homemade.
- Nilla Wafers crushed: swap with crushed graham crackers, crushed vanilla sandwich cookies like Golden Oreos, or crushed shortbread cookies, use about the same volume.
Pro Tips
1. Underbake the cake a little. Pull it out a few minutes before the box time so the crumb is still slightly tacky, not dry. That way it soaks up the condensed milk and pudding better and the whole thing stays moist instead of turning into a brick.
2. Make the holes count. Use a wooden spoon handle and twist it as you push down so each hole opens up wider and the liquid can travel deeper. Do a quick second pass if some areas look denser so you dont end up with dry spots.
3. Keep your bananas looking fresh. Toss slices very lightly with a splash of lemon or pineapple juice, or only put them on right before serving. If you must top early, press plastic wrap gently onto the whipped layer to limit air contact, then chill.
4. Play with cookie texture. Crush most of the wafers fine so they mingle into the pudding, but leave chunks for crunch on top. For extra flavor, toast a few whole wafers in the oven for a minute or two and crumble them over just before serving.
BEST BANANA PUDDING POKE CAKE (+Video) Recipe
I’m sharing my Banana Pudding Poke Cake, a surprisingly simple dessert made with cake mix, banana pudding, Cool Whip and crushed Nilla Wafers that has everyone asking for the recipe.
12
servings
666
kcal
Equipment: 1. 9×13 inch baking pan and cooking spray
2. Large mixing bowl (for the cake batter)
3. Electric hand mixer or a sturdy whisk
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Wooden spoon (use the handle to poke holes) or a large fork
6. Rolling pin or a heavy jar plus a zip bag for crushing the cookies
7. Can opener and a rubber spatula for scraping the sweetened condensed milk and pudding bowl
8. Knife and cutting board for slicing the bananas
9. Toothpick or skewer to test cake doneness
Ingredients
-
1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
-
3 large eggs
-
1 cup vegetable oil
-
1 cup water
-
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
-
1 (3.4 oz) package instant banana pudding mix
-
2 cups cold milk for the pudding
-
8 oz frozen whipped topping like Cool Whip, thawed
-
4 to 5 ripe bananas, sliced
-
11 oz Nilla Wafers, crushed (about 3 cups)
Directions
- Preheat oven to the temperature on the cake mix box and spray a 9 by 13 inch pan with cooking spray. Mix the yellow cake mix with 3 large eggs, 1 cup vegetable oil and 1 cup water according to the package directions until smooth.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for the time the box says, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Dont overbake it; you want the cake to still be able to soak up the filling.
- While the cake bakes, let the 8 ounce frozen whipped topping thaw in the fridge and crush about 11 ounces of Nilla Wafers (aim for 3 cups) in a zip bag or with a rolling pin. Slice 4 to 5 ripe bananas and set aside.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, use the handle of a wooden spoon or a large fork to poke holes all over the top about 1 inch apart. You want them deep enough to reach near the bottom but dont poke through the pan.
- Pour the entire 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk evenly over the hot cake, letting it sink into the holes. Gently press with the back of a spoon if needed to help distribute it.
- In a bowl, whisk the
- 4 ounce instant banana pudding mix with 2 cups cold milk until thick (about 2 minutes). Spoon or pour the pudding over the cake spreading to fill holes and cover the surface.
- Let the cake cool to room temperature, then spread the thawed whipped topping evenly over the pudding layer. Arrange the banana slices on top, covering the whole cake or just making a single layer, your call.
- Sprinkle most of the crushed Nilla Wafers over the top, reserving a handful for garnish. For extra texture, press a few whole wafers into the edges.
- Chill the cake in the refrigerator at least 2 hours, but overnight is better so the flavors set and the bananas stop browning. Serve cold, scoop with lots of banana and cookie crumbs, and enjoy.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 150g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 666kcal
- Fat: 32.2g
- Saturated Fat: 8.3g
- Trans Fat: 0.13g
- Polyunsaturated: 4.2g
- Monounsaturated: 10g
- Cholesterol: 57mg
- Sodium: 285mg
- Potassium: 315mg
- Carbohydrates: 88.9g
- Fiber: 2.5g
- Sugar: 61.8g
- Protein: 9.9g
- Vitamin A: 137IU
- Vitamin C: 3.8mg
- Calcium: 142mg
- Iron: 1mg
