This Strawberry Banana Pudding Cake mixes a light strawberry cake with creamy banana pudding and fresh fruit for a simple, crowd-pleasing dessert.
This week I’m sharing one of my favorite quick poke-cake recipes: Strawberry Banana Pudding Cake. It’s easy to make, bright in flavor, and perfect for spring or summer gatherings.
I let my daughter pick the cake for her little brother’s first birthday and she chose strawberry. Since Jackson is obsessed with bananas, I combined the two for a fun twist. The result was a light, fruity cake with a creamy banana pudding filling and fresh fruit on top.
It’s surprisingly simple to put together but looks and tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen. Give it a try — it’s a real crowd-pleaser.
Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients
1 box strawberry cake mix
4 eggs
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup milk (for cake)
2 (3.9 oz) packages banana pudding mix
4 cups milk (for pudding)
1 jar cream cheese frosting
4 bananas, sliced
1 pint strawberries, sliced
Love bananas? 🍌 Try banana-forward desserts for more inspiration!
Directions
Preheat the oven and prepare a 9×13″ baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the strawberry cake mix, 4 eggs, melted butter, and 1 cup milk. Mix until smooth, pour into the prepared dish, and bake according to the cake mix package directions. Allow the cake to cool slightly.
Use the back of a wooden spoon to poke holes about every 2 inches across the warm cake, making sure each hole reaches the bottom of the pan.
Whisk together 4 cups of cold milk and the two packages of banana pudding mix until smooth.
Pour about three-quarters of the pudding mixture over the cake, focusing on filling the holes. Use the back of the spoon to push the pudding into the holes so the cake soaks it up evenly.
Refrigerate the cake for about an hour to let the pudding set and the flavors meld.
While the cake chills, beat the remaining pudding mixture with the jar of cream cheese frosting until combined and smooth. This creates a rich, tangy topping that complements the fruit.
When the cake has cooled and set, spread the frosting-pudding mixture evenly over the top. Arrange sliced bananas and strawberries on the cake just before serving for the freshest look and texture.
Serve immediately or keep refrigerated until ready to enjoy. The cake holds well for a day or two when stored in the fridge, though the fruit is best fresh.
Enjoy! For more recipes, browse your favorite dessert ideas in your personal collection of tried-and-true sweets.
Strawberry Banana Pudding Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box strawberry cake mix
- 4 eggs
- 1 stick butter, melted
- 1 cup milk (for cake)
- 2 packages banana pudding mix (3.9 oz each)
- 4 cups milk (for pudding)
- 1 jar cream cheese frosting
- 4 bananas, sliced
- 1 pint strawberries, sliced
Instructions
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Mix cake mix, eggs, melted butter, and 1 cup milk until smooth. Pour into a greased 9×13″ pan and bake according to package directions. Let cool slightly.
-
Use the back of a wooden spoon to poke holes about every 2 inches across the cake, reaching the bottom of the pan.
-
Whisk together 4 cups cold milk and the banana pudding mixes until smooth.
-
Pour about three-quarters of the pudding over the cake, pressing it into the holes so the cake absorbs it evenly.
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Refrigerate the cake for about an hour to let the pudding set.
-
Beat the remaining pudding with the cream cheese frosting until combined and spreadable.
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Spread the frosting-pudding mixture over the chilled cake and top with sliced bananas and strawberries. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated.