How to Make Banana Pudding Dump Cake

For this banana pudding dump cake recipe, I combined the flavors of banana pudding with the ease of a dump cake. The one extra step to making this cake is mixing together the pudding before layering all the ingredients together. However, the pudding comes together in just two minutes, so this cake is easily prepped in less than 15 minutes.

Dump cake brings me right back to my 1980s childhood. When it was my parents’ turn to host their monthly bridge party, a cherry dump cake would inevitably grace the dessert table. And even more inevitably, I would help myself to a serving or two from the leftovers the next day. (Topped with a generous dollop of whipped topping, of course.)

Traditionally made with cherry pie filling, chopped nuts and cake mix, dump cakes are thought to have become popular in the late 1960s. These days, dump cake isn’t limited to just pie filling. Dump cake creativity abounds on TikTok, where you can find all sorts of delicious (and, uh, unusual) flavor combinations. And let me tell you, this banana pudding dump cake recipe does not disappoint!

Banana Pudding Dump Cake Recipe

Ingredients

20-24 vanilla wafer cookies
Vanilla pudding mix (3.4 oz. box)
2 cups milk
2-3 medium bananas, cut horizontally into 1/2-in. slices
1 box white cake mix
8-12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-in. slices
Whipped cream, for serving

Directions

Step 1: Prep the baking dish

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-in. glass baking dish with cooking spray or butter.

Step 2: Make the pudding

making pudding in a glass bowl with a whisk

Add the pudding mix and milk to a medium bowl. Whisk for 2 minutes until smooth and the pudding starts to thicken. Set aside.

Step 3: Make the cake layers

grid of four different steps in layering pan for banana pudding dump cake

Line the bottom of the baking dish with vanilla wafer cookies. Use a spatula to spread the pudding over the top of the cookie layer. Cover the pudding layer with the sliced bananas. Sprinkle the cake mix over the banana layer and spread into an even layer. Top the cake mix layer with the butter slices (as much as possible!).

Step 4: Bake the cake

Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. When a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake layer comes out clean, the cake is done.

Step 5: Let cool

Set the baking dish on a wire rack and let the cake cool for at least 20 minutes.

Step 6: Garnish and serve

Garnish each serving with a generous dollop of whipped cream and a banana slice. Any leftover cake can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. (It’s also delicious served cold.)

Tips for Making Dump Cake

This cake can also be made in a 13-by-9-in. baking dish. The pudding and cake mix amounts remain the same, but you will need to double the amount of sliced bananas and sliced butter.
The key to an even bake is covering the entire surface of the cake mix layer with butter slices. If the cake layer still looks powdery when you first check the dump cake for doneness, cover any uncooked spots with butter slices and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes.
The point of easy dessert ideas is to be fun! Experiment with different pudding and cake mix flavors. Butterscotch pudding or cinnamon crumble cake mix would be delicious options in this recipe.

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