Old School Banana Pudding Cake (Print Version)

Ingredients:

01 - 1 box yellow cake mix.
02 - 1 cup water.
03 - ½ cup vegetable oil.
04 - 3 large eggs.
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
06 - 2 cups cold milk.
07 - 1 package (3.4 oz) instant banana pudding mix.
08 - 1 cup whipped cream or whipped topping.
09 - 2-3 ripe bananas (sliced).
10 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream.
11 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar.
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
13 - Additional banana slices (for garnish).
14 - Crushed vanilla wafers (for garnish).

Instructions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - In a large bowl, combine cake mix, water, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
03 - Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely.
04 - In a medium bowl, whisk cold milk and instant banana pudding mix for about 2 minutes until thickened. Fold in the whipped cream until fully combined.
05 - Poke holes all over the cooled cake with a fork. Spread the banana pudding mixture evenly over the cake. Top with sliced bananas and sprinkle crushed vanilla wafers over the pudding layer.
06 - In a bowl, whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the banana pudding layer.
07 - Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish with additional banana slices and more crushed vanilla wafers.

Notes:

01 - This nostalgic cake brings together the best elements of banana pudding with fluffy cake layers, making it a crowd-pleasing dessert for any occasion.
02 - For added flavor, you can drizzle caramel sauce over the top or layer extra bananas between the cake and pudding.