Light & Fluffy Banana Pudding Cake

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This banana pudding cake is EVERYTHING. The fluffy hot milk sponge cake pairs PERFECTLY with the vanilla pastry cream, fresh banana slices, vanilla wafer cookies and fresh whipped cream.

banana pudding cake sliced, showing the inside

I don’t often remake cakes or even think about cakes I’ve made because I’m always onto making something new but this banana pudding cake has me DREAMING. It’s so light and fluffy, thanks to the hot milk sponge cake and the whipped cream. She’s such a dream, I turned her into the Ultimate Banana Pudding Cupcakes!

If you’re into light and fluffy types of cakes I have several for you! I think you’ll love my Lemon Curd Cake, Chantilly Cake and my beloved Tiramisu Cake!

close up layers of banana pudding cake sliced

What is banana pudding 

Banana pudding is an American dessert, more popular in the south, that consists of layering vanilla custard, banana slices, vanilla wafers or ladyfingers and whipped cream. It’s commonly made with store-bought vanilla pudding, sweetened condensed milk, ‘Nilla wafers and Cool whip. 

I made every component of this cake from scratch besides the wafer cookies. I felt like there was no replicating those and they’re very nostalgic in this recipe. I also tested a million and one versions of pastry cream and chantilly cream so this cake was the perfect opportunity to use those up too. 

slice of banana pudding cake on a plate

How To Make Banana Pudding Cake, Step-by-Step Photos

Vanilla Pastry Cream

  1. Start making the pastry cream by whisking together the egg, sugar, cornstarch and salt until they’re smooth.
  2. Heat the milk and then use it to temper the eggs. Then return the whole mixture to the pot. 
  3. Cook the pastry cream for just a couple of minutes, until it starts to thicken, whisking aggressively and then pour it into a bowl with the butter and vanilla. 
  4. It’ll split at first but as you whisk, the butter and pastry cream will come back together and be smooth and silky.  
  5. Cover the top of the pastry cream with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill. 
egg yolks whisked with sugar and cornstarch, still clumpy
egg yolks whisked with sugar and cornstarch, still clumpy
egg yolks whisked with sugar and cornstarch - smooth
egg yolks whisked with sugar and cornstarch – smooth
eggs tempered with milk in saucepan
eggs tempered with milk in saucepan
Pastry cream cooked
Pastry cream cooked
pastry cream splits when you add butter but comes back together as you whisk it
pastry cream splits when you add butter but comes back together as you whisk it
butter mixed into the cooked pastry cream
butter mixed into the cooked pastry cream

Hot Milk Sponge

  1. Make the cake by heating the milk and butter until it’s hot but not simmering. Set aside. 
  2. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and sugar until it’s pale and fluffy. 
  3. Sift the dry ingredients over the eggs and stream the hot milk in with the mixer on low speed. Mix just until the last streak of flour is combined. 
  4. Distribute the batter evenly among three pans, about 15-16 oz in each, and bake for about 20 minutes. 
butter and milk in a pot
heat just until melted
eggs and sugar beating in mixer
beat the eggs and sugar
finished cake batter
finished cake batter
batter in cake pan
batter in cake pan

Whipped Cream

Whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla, once the cakes and the pastry cream have cooled completely. 

cream whipped to stiff peaks
cream whipped to stiff peaks
finished chantilly cream in a bowl

Assemble

  1. Slice the bananas and toss them with a little lemon juice to prevent them from browning in the cake. 
  2. Place the first layer of cake onto a flat surface. Top with a generous layer of pastry cream, followed by a single layer of banana slices and a single layer of vanilla wafers. Cover with a layer of whipped cream. 
  3. Place the second layer of cake on top and repeat with the next layers. Swirl the rest of the whipped cream on the top layer and top with more bananas and vanilla wafers. Refrigerate the cake for at least an hour to set. 
bananas sliced
bananas sliced
layer of pastry cream on the cake
banana slices on top of pastry cream
vanilla wafers on top of banana slices
whipped cream on top of vanilla wafers
all the layers showing in a banana pudding cake

How to store a banana pudding cake

Cover the cake with foil, a cake dome or a cake carrier and refrigerate for up to a week. 

If it’s any longer, feel free to freeze the cake. Slice it and place the slices in an airtight container and freeze for a few weeks. The bananas might get mushy when thawing though so freezing is not ideal.

slice of banana pudding cake on a plate with a bit taken out

Thanks so much for reading today’s post, if you have any questions just comment down below. 

If you make this banana pudding cake, I’d love it if you left a star rating for me. If it’s less than five stars, please leave a comment with the rating so I know why! 🙂

As always, have a blessed day and happy baking!

Love, B

banana pudding cake sliced, showing the inside

Fluffiest Banana Pudding Cake Recipe

Traditional banana pudding but layered in a cake – super fluffy sponge cake layered with vanilla pastry cream, banana slices, vanilla wafer cookies and fluffy whipped cream.
4.91 from 10 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 35 minutes
2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 538 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer
  • 1 silicone or rubber spatula
  • 1 medium saucepan
  • 1 offset spatula

Ingredients
  

Vanilla Pastry Cream

  • 1 large egg (or 3 large egg yolks) room temperature
  • 45 grams (1/4 cup) granulated sugar scant cup
  • 30 grams (3 heaping Tbsp) cornstarch
  • tiny pinch fine sea salt
  • 240 mL (1 cup/8oz) whole milk
  • 42 grams (3 Tbsp) salted butter room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract

Sponge Cake

  • 240 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 240 mL (1 cup/8oz) milk
  • 113 grams (1/2 cup) salted butter gets melted with milk
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 350 grams (1 3/4 cup) granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Whipped Cream/Chantilly Cream

  • 360 mL (1 1/2 cups/12oz) heavy whipping cream cold
  • 45 grams (1/3 cup) powdered sugar spooned and leveled
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
  • tiny pinch fine sea salt

Toppings/Fillings

  • 2 ripe bananas sliced (ripe enough to eat but not over-ripe)
  • 15 mL (1 Tbsp) lemon juice
  • 4-6 oz vanilla wafers

Instructions
 

Vanilla Pastry Cream

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg (or egg yolks), sugar, cornstarch and salt aggressively for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture becomes smooth and runny, with no more chunks.
    1 large egg (or 3 large egg yolks), 45 grams (1/4 cup) granulated sugar, 30 grams (3 heaping Tbsp) cornstarch, tiny pinch fine sea salt
  • In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat, just until it comes to a simmer.
    240 mL (1 cup/8oz) whole milk
  • Temper the eggs by streaming half of the milk into the egg mixture while continuing to whisk.
  • Dump the whole mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, while whisking continuously.
  • Within 1-3 minutes, the mixture should start to thicken, continue whisking, making sure to scrape the edges and center of the pan.
  • Once it's starting to stick to the pan, whisk aggressively for another 30-60 seconds. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl with the butter and vanilla.
    2 tsp vanilla bean paste, 42 grams (3 Tbsp) salted butter
  • Allow the heat from the pastry cream to melt the butter for a second and then gently whisk it. It may separate at first but it'll come back together as you whisk.
  • The pastry cream should be smooth and silky now, if you have any lumps, feel free to push it though a sieve.

Sponge Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350F/177C convection (325F/163C conventional) and grease and line three 8 inch cake pans with baking spray and parchment paper.
  • Place the flour, baking powder and sea salt in a medium bowl and whisk them together until they’re evenly distributed. 
    240 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • Place the milk with the butter in a small pot and heat it gently over medium-low heat, for 2-3 minutes, just until the butter is fully melted and the mixture is hot but not yet simmering. Remove from the heat and set aside.
    240 mL (1 cup/8oz) milk, 113 grams (1/2 cup) salted butter
  • Place the eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer, fit with the whisk attachment, and begin beating at medium-high speed, until the eggs begin to froth , just a few seconds. Reduce the speed and stream in the sugar. 
    4 large eggs, 350 grams (1 3/4 cup) granulated sugar
  • Add the vanilla extract and turn the mixer up to full speed, allowing it to beat for a few minutes, until the sugar and egg mixture is fluffy and pale. 
    2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Sift the dry ingredients over the egg mixture, and now turn the mixer up to low speed while streaming in the milk and butter. Scrape the edge of the bowl and give it one more mix, just until the last streak of flour is combined. 
  • Divide the batter into the prepared pans, about 14ish ounces each, and bake for 20 minutes, until they're golden brown and spring back when you gently press on the tops.

Whipped Cream

  • Sift the powdered sugar and salt into the bowl of the stand mixer, fit with a whisk attachment (or a large bowl with a handheld mixer). 
    45 grams (1/3 cup) powdered sugar, tiny pinch fine sea salt
  • Pour the heavy whipping cream on top, along with the vanilla and turn the mixer up to medium speed for a few seconds until it starts to thicken (if you go full speed it will splash everywhere).
    360 mL (1 1/2 cups/12oz) heavy whipping cream, 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • Turn the mixer up to medium-high and whip just until it holds stiff peaks. 
  • If you over-mix and it’s no longer smooth, add a little more cream and fold it in until it’s smooth again.

Assemble

  • Once the cakes and the pastry cream have cooled, slice the bananas and toss them into a bowl with the lemon juice (you won't taste the lemon juice but it'll prevent them from turning brown).
    2 ripe bananas, 15 mL (1 Tbsp) lemon juice
  • Place the first layer of cake onto a flat surface and spread a good layer of pastry cream on top.
  • Then a single layer of banana slices on top of the pastry cream and followed by a layer of vanilla wafer cookies (I used minis so I left them whole).
    4-6 oz vanilla wafers
  • Top with a generous layer of whipped cream and then another layer of cake. Repeat and then top with the last layer of cake.
  • Spread the rest of the whipped cream on top and decorate with some bananas and wafer cookies.
  • Refrigerate the cake for at least a few hours to set and slice easier. Serve cold or slightly chilled. Store refrigerated.

Notes

Pastry cream can be made with either 3 large egg yolks or 1 large egg – egg yolks will just give a richer flavor and darker color, I used 1 large egg in this recipe so I didn’t have to repurpose my whites but it works both ways! 

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 538kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 9gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 175mgSodium: 355mgPotassium: 167mgFiber: 1gSugar: 44gVitamin A: 985IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 132mgIron: 2mg
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8 Comments

4.91 from 10 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




  2. 5 stars
    Was told “It’s rated 10/10, second best thing you’ve ever made me.” From a baking standpoint it was pretty easy, definitely a good cake to make with little ones (if you have them). Making again, I’ll probably add additional bananas and pudding mixture since the pudding was a little thin (or smaller cake sizes). Could also use more bananas since it wasn’t banana enough for me, but that’s just personal preference. Good easy recipe

  3. I would like to make this but as a 6in cake, what adjustments would you recommend? Thank you! I can’t wait to try it!

  4. 5 stars
    Hey

    I was wondering if I could use paillete feuilletine in place of the wafers? I believe it will stay crisp in the layers…

    I bought a bag of it ages ago and have not found a use for it yet…what do you think?

    Looks delicious can’t wait to make it!

    Cheers

    D