Banana Pudding Poke Cake gives you all the great flavors of banana pudding in an easy-to-make sheet cake. This banana pudding cake is the perfect summer dessert recipe and one of my favorite summertime cakes to make for cookouts!
Do you like bananas? If so, you’re going to love this recipe. Take banana pudding up a notch with this delicious and oh-so simple to make Banana Pudding Cake.
The base for this banana pudding cake is a doctored yellow cake mix which makes is super easy to whip up. It gets topped with banana pudding, sliced bananas, whipped cream and crushed vanilla wafer cookies. So simple and delicious!
Adding pudding to the cake makes it so incredibly moist. I typically use banana flavored pudding in this recipe, but vanilla pudding tastes just as great too. Just go with your preference or what you have in your pantry.
For the whipped topping, I often grab a tub of Cool Whip. However, if you have the time, some fresh whipped cream makes this dessert extra special.
Here are some of my other favorite desserts made with bananas:
Banana Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
What is a poke cake?
A poke cake is exactly what it sounds like. After baking a cake, you poke holes in it with either a fork or the end of a wooden spoon and then pour on some kind of topping or filling that adds flavor and moisture. Most commonly poke cakes are filled with Jello or pudding.
When coming up with this recipe, I adapted a Banana-Sour Cream Cake recipe that I found on the Kraft Foods website. My banana pudding cake uses the first five ingredients from that recipe to make the cake that serves as the base of this dessert.
Banana Pudding Poke Cake Ingredients
yellow cake mix
eggs
bananas
vegetable oil
sour cream
instant banana pudding
whipped topping
vanilla cookies
Ingredient measurements are available in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
How to Make a Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13×9-inch pan.
Beat first 5 ingredients with mixer on low speed, just until moistened, stopping frequently to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat on medium speed an additional 2 minutes.
Pour into prepared pan and spread out evenly. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until an inserted knife in the center comes out clean.
Allow cake to cool completely. Poke cake every 1/2 inch with the handle of a wooden spoon.
Meanwhile, prepare pudding as directed. Don’t let the pudding set in the fridge. Pour it right on top of the cake and spread out with the back of a spoon or spatula. The pudding will seep into the holes, making the cake incredibly moist.
Cover and place in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
Remove the cake from the fridge, and place a layer of banana slices over the pudding.
Spread whipped topping over the top of cake.
Just before serving, sprinkle with crushed vanilla cookies.
How long will this banana cake stay fresh?
In an airtight container, this delicious banana cake will stay fresh for up to 4 days. The cookie crumble topping will soften, so I recommend adding just before serving. You can also freeze this cake in an airtight container for up to three months. Allow at least several hours for thawing, before serving.

Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 yellow cake mix about 3 ¼ cup oil 1 cup sour cream 2 small instant banana pudding packages, prepared as directed while cake is cooling fresh banana slices, about 3 bananas 1 (8 ounce tub) Cool Whip 1 cup crushed vanilla cookies
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup bananas mashed
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 3.4 oz packages instant banana pudding
- 3 bananas sliced
- 1 8 oz tub whipped topping
- 1 cup vanilla wafer cookies crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13x9-inch pan.
- Beat first 5 ingredients with mixer on low speed, just until moistened, stopping frequently to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat on medium speed an additional 2 minutes.
- Pour into prepared pan and spread out evenly. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until an inserted knife in the center comes out clean.
- Allow cake to cool completely. Poke cake every 1/2 inch with the handle of a wooden spoon.
- Meanwhile, prepare pudding as directed. Don’t let the pudding set in the fridge. Pour it right on top of the cake and spread out with the back of a spoon or spatula. The pudding will seep into the holes, making the cake incredibly moist.
- Cover cake and place in the fridge for a few hours or overnight, until the pudding sets.
- Remove the cake from the fridge, and place a layer of banana slices over the pudding.
- Spread Cool Whip over the top, and sprinkle with crushed vanilla cookies just before serving.
Nutrition
This recipe was first published in April of 2016 and has been updated with new images and tips. However, the same yummy banana cake recipe remains the same.
I’ve never had banana pudding before, but it seems like it would perfect for this cake. Especially with Cool Whip – yum!
I have never tried Banana Pudding or Banana Pudding Cake before, not sure why!
Oh yum, I always have a thing for banana desserts! I love how this one is lighter for summer
This looks/sounds so delicious! Can’t wait to try it!
Oh my goodness! My son would love this! It looks and sounds delicious!
Yummy! This cake sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing with Merry Monday!
That looks so good! My husband loves anything to do with banana pudding. It’s always been one of his favorites. Thanks for linking up with Delicious Dishes Recipe Party!
Looks so yummy! I am going to try this recipe
Wow forget banana cream pie – this is awesome! And the best use of a cake mix ever, ooh I want to make this!
This looks incredible!!! I am a huge fan of bananas in sweet and savory recipes.; they are delicious and help you fill full as well. Plantains are one of my son’s favourite side dishes.