Southern Banana Pudding Poke Cake with Vanilla Custard

Published: February 19, 2026
Jimmy JohnsonJimmy Johnson
Categories: Custards & Puddings, Fruits, Cakes
Tags: Dessert, Banana, Party, Southern, Poke Cake, Make-Ahead
A professional food photo of Southern Banana Pudding Poke Cake with visible banana slices, creamy vanilla custard, whipped cream dollops, and crushed vanilla wafers on top. Southern-inspired dessert, served in a rustic ceramic 9x13 dish with a slice removed to reveal moist cake and pockets of pudding, sprinkled with toasted pecans. Warm natural lighting, shallow depth of field, appetizing close-up, restaurant-quality styling. IMPORTANT: No text, no labels, no captions, no words on the image. Pure food photography only.

Banana Poke

This Southern Banana Pudding Poke Cake takes the nostalgic flavors of banana pudding and turns them into an easy, crowd-pleasing sheet cake. A simple yellow cake is baked, poked full of holes, then doused with silky vanilla pudding and layered with ripe banana slices—every bite is moist, sweet, and utterly comforting.

It’s a great make-ahead dessert for potlucks or family dinners: chill until set, crown with whipped topping, crushed vanilla wafers, and a sprinkle of toasted pecans for crunch. Serve chilled and watch it disappear—this is one of those recipes that always brings people back for seconds.

Ingredients

  • 15.25 oz Yellow cake mix
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1/3 cup Vegetable oil
  • 3 pieces Large eggs
  • 2 packages (3.4 oz each) Instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 3 cups Cold milk
  • 4 pieces Ripe bananas, sliced
  • 12 oz Vanilla wafers
  • 8 oz Whipped topping (Cool Whip or homemade)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup Toasted pecans, chopped (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside.

  2. In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until the batter is smooth.

  3. Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool for about 10 minutes in the pan.

  4. While the cake cools, whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mixes, cold milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly thickened (about 2 minutes).

  5. Use the handle of a wooden spoon or a skewer to poke holes all over the warm cake, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

  6. Pour the prepared pudding evenly over the warm cake, making sure it seeps into the holes. Use a spatula to gently spread if needed.

  7. Arrange half of the banana slices over the pudding layer. Refrigerate the cake uncovered for at least 2 hours to let the pudding set and flavors meld.

  8. Before serving, spread the whipped topping evenly over the chilled cake. Top with remaining banana slices, crushed vanilla wafers, and toasted pecans if using.

  9. Slice into squares and keep refrigerated. Best served chilled within 2–3 days.

Tips & Notes

  • Choose bananas that are ripe but not overly brown so they hold their shape and flavor in the cake.
  • Make the cake a day ahead—chilling overnight deepens the flavor and makes slicing neater.
  • If you prefer, substitute fresh whipped cream (2 cups heavy cream whipped with 2 tbsp powdered sugar) for the store-bought topping for a lighter finish.