Moist Banana Pudding Bundt Cake

If you ask me, banana pudding is one of those desserts that never goes out of style.

This bundt cake takes everything you love about classic banana pudding and bakes it into a moist, tender cake that’s perfect for any occasion. Real mashed bananas and instant pudding mix work together to create a cake that stays soft for days.

It starts with a simple yellow cake mix doctored up with banana pudding, ripe bananas, and just the right amount of oil to keep things tender. The whole thing comes together in one bowl and bakes up in a bundt pan for an easy presentation.

It’s a foolproof recipe that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen, but really takes about ten minutes to mix up.

What Kind of Bananas Should I Use?

The ripeness of your bananas really matters for this bundt cake. You’ll want to use bananas that are nice and ripe with plenty of brown spots on the peel – these will be sweeter and mash more easily into your batter. If your bananas are still pretty yellow and firm, they won’t add as much flavor or moisture to the cake. On the flip side, if your bananas are completely black and mushy, they might make your cake too wet, so aim for that sweet spot of heavily speckled but not totally overripe. And here’s a helpful tip: if you need to speed up the ripening process, you can stick your bananas in a paper bag for a day or two.

Options for Substitutions

This cake is pretty straightforward, but here are some swaps you can make if needed:

• Bananas: The bananas are key to this recipe, so I wouldn’t skip them. However, if yours aren’t quite ripe enough, you can speed up the process by placing them in a paper bag for a day or two. Really spotty bananas work best for maximum flavor.
• Cake mix: Any yellow or vanilla cake mix will work here. You can also try a butter golden cake mix for a richer taste.
• Pudding powder: Stick with banana or vanilla pudding powder for this recipe. French vanilla pudding is another good option if you can’t find banana flavor at your store.
• Olive oil: You can swap olive oil with vegetable oil, canola oil, or melted coconut oil. Each will work fine without changing the texture of your cake.
• Water: For a moister cake, try replacing the water with whole milk or buttermilk. This adds extra richness without any other changes to the recipe.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake people make with bundt cakes is not greasing the pan thoroughly enough, which leads to the cake sticking and breaking apart when you try to remove it – make sure to coat every ridge and corner with butter or baking spray, then dust with flour for extra insurance.

Another common error is removing the cake from the pan too soon, as bundt cakes need to cool in the pan for at least 15-20 minutes before flipping, otherwise they’ll fall apart.

Overmixing the batter once you add the bananas can make your cake dense and tough, so fold them in gently with just a few strokes until combined.

Finally, don’t skip checking for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the thickest part of the cake – it should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter, since overbaking will dry out your cake and make it crumbly.

What to Serve With Banana Pudding Bundt Cake?

This cake is pretty rich and sweet on its own, so I like to keep things simple and serve it with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A hot cup of coffee or cold glass of milk makes the perfect drink pairing, especially if you’re having it as an afternoon snack or dessert. If you want to dress it up a bit for company, try adding some sliced fresh bananas and a drizzle of caramel sauce on the side. You could also serve it alongside fresh berries like strawberries or blueberries to add a little tartness that balances out the sweetness.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your banana pudding bundt cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. I like to wrap it in plastic wrap or keep it under a cake dome to prevent it from drying out. The cake actually gets more moist after a day or two as the flavors settle in!

Freeze: This cake freezes really well for up to 3 months. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then again in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. You can freeze the whole cake or cut it into slices first for easier thawing later.

Thaw: Let frozen cake slices sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or thaw the whole cake in the fridge overnight. If you want to warm it up a bit, pop a slice in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to bring back that fresh-baked feel.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2000-2200
• Protein: 28-34 g
• Fat: 55-65 g
• Carbohydrates: 370-400 g

Ingredients

• 3 bananas (very ripe and mashed, about 1.5 cups)
• 1 box yellow cake mix (I always use Betty Crocker Super Moist)
• 1 box instant banana pudding (I prefer Jell-O brand for the best set and flavor) + 1 tablespoon
• 4 large eggs (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup olive oil (or any neutral oil like vegetable oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Step 1: Prepare Your Mise en Place and Oven

• 3 bananas
• 4 large eggs

Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously grease a Bundt pan with cooking spray or butter, making sure to coat all the nooks and crannies so the cake releases cleanly.

While the oven heats, mash your very ripe bananas in a small bowl until you have about 1.5 cups of mostly smooth banana puree—some small lumps are fine and actually add nice texture.

Remove your eggs from the fridge to bring them to room temperature, which helps them incorporate better into the batter.

Step 2: Create the Dry Ingredient Base

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 box instant banana pudding + 1 tablespoon

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yellow cake mix and instant banana pudding powder until they’re evenly combined with no lumps.

This step is crucial because it ensures the pudding flavor is distributed throughout the cake rather than settling to the bottom.

I like to sift these dry ingredients together if you have a sifter—it aerates the mixture and helps you avoid any little pockets of unmixed pudding powder that can taste too strong.

Step 3: Build the Wet Batter

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pour the eggs, water, oil, and vanilla extract into the bowl with the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2.

Using an electric mixer on low speed, blend everything together for about 60-90 seconds until the batter is smooth and all the dry streaks are gone—be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cake tough.

The batter should be thick but pourable.

Step 4: Incorporate the Bananas and Pour

• mashed bananas from Step 1
• wet batter from Step 3

Fold the mashed bananas from Step 1 into the batter using a rubber spatula with gentle strokes until they’re evenly distributed throughout—I usually do about 15-20 gentle folds to keep the batter light.

Pour the entire batter into your prepared Bundt pan, smoothing the top gently with your spatula.

The batter should fill the pan about three-quarters full, which gives it room to rise without overflowing.

Step 5: Bake Until Golden and Set

Place the Bundt pan in your preheated 350°F oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).

The exact time depends on your oven, so start checking at 35 minutes.

The cake will have a slight dome in the center and smell absolutely delicious when done.

Step 6: Cool and Release from Pan

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 15-20 minutes—this allows the structure to set so it won’t break apart when you flip it.

Run a thin knife or offset spatula around the edges and center hole of the Bundt pan to loosen the cake, then invert it onto a wire cooling rack or serving plate.

Let it cool completely before slicing and serving, which should take another 30-45 minutes.

Moist Banana Pudding Bundt Cake

Delicious Moist Banana Pudding Bundt Cake recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 52 minutes mins

Servings 14 slices

Calories 2100 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 3 bananas (very ripe and mashed, about 1.5 cups)
• 1 box yellow cake mix (I always use Betty Crocker Super Moist)
• 1 box instant banana pudding (I prefer Jell-O brand for the best set and flavor) + 1 tablespoon
• 4 large eggs (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup olive oil (or any neutral oil like vegetable oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously grease a Bundt pan with cooking spray or butter, making sure to coat all the nooks and crannies so the cake releases cleanly. While the oven heats, mash your very ripe bananas in a small bowl until you have about 1.5 cups of mostly smooth banana puree—some small lumps are fine and actually add nice texture. Remove your eggs from the fridge to bring them to room temperature, which helps them incorporate better into the batter.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yellow cake mix and instant banana pudding powder until they're evenly combined with no lumps. This step is crucial because it ensures the pudding flavor is distributed throughout the cake rather than settling to the bottom. I like to sift these dry ingredients together if you have a sifter—it aerates the mixture and helps you avoid any little pockets of unmixed pudding powder that can taste too strong.
• Pour the eggs, water, oil, and vanilla extract into the bowl with the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2. Using an electric mixer on low speed, blend everything together for about 60-90 seconds until the batter is smooth and all the dry streaks are gone—be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cake tough. The batter should be thick but pourable.
• Fold the mashed bananas from Step 1 into the batter using a rubber spatula with gentle strokes until they're evenly distributed throughout—I usually do about 15-20 gentle folds to keep the batter light. Pour the entire batter into your prepared Bundt pan, smoothing the top gently with your spatula. The batter should fill the pan about three-quarters full, which gives it room to rise without overflowing.
• Place the Bundt pan in your preheated 350°F oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). The exact time depends on your oven, so start checking at 35 minutes. The cake will have a slight dome in the center and smell absolutely delicious when done.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 15-20 minutes—this allows the structure to set so it won't break apart when you flip it. Run a thin knife or offset spatula around the edges and center hole of the Bundt pan to loosen the cake, then invert it onto a wire cooling rack or serving plate. Let it cool completely before slicing and serving, which should take another 30-45 minutes.