Banana Pudding Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Banana pudding and pound cake come together like an old Southern favorite in this Banana Pudding Cream Cheese Pound Cake. This rich, buttery cake is loaded up with ripe bananas and a touch of banana pudding mix, giving it that soft, moist crumb and full, homemade flavor we all grew up loving. Topped with a sweet vanilla cream glaze and a handful of crushed vanilla wafers, it’s the kind of dessert that feels right at home on any Southern table.
Easy Banana Pudding Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe
I’ll take banana pudding in just about any form, I’ve always had a soft spot for it. This Banana Pudding Cream Cheese Pound Cake brings all those same classic, nostalgic flavors combining them into one rich, buttery dessert with a soft, creamy tender crumb. Made with ripe bananas and instant banana pudding mix, the batter is packed with banana flavor in every bite. It’s the perfect blend of old-fashioned comfort and indulgence, and one slice in, you’ll see why this cake is bound to become a family favorite.
Key ingredients you’ll need to make Southern Banana Pudding Pound Cake from scratch: (Scroll down for the full printable recipe card.)
- Flour – This recipe uses all purpose flour sifted with instant banana cream pudding mix, salt, baking powder and baking soda. You can use a whisk for this step, it works like a charm.
- Fresh Bananas – Ripe bananas mashed. You’ll need one cup of mashed bananas.
- Fats – Salted butter or unsalted butter gives pound cake a rich flavor.
- Cream Cheese – One block of plain cream cheese. Allow it to soften along with the butter so it will cream easily with the sugar. It gives this pound cake a delectable texture.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar for sweetness.
- Eggs – 6 large eggs at room temperature stabilizes the cake batter.
- Flavoring – Vanilla extract for creamy floral notes.
- Vanilla Glaze – Powdered sugar, (confectioner’s sugar) heavy cream, vanilla extract and crushed ‘Nilla wafers for garnishing.
How to Make Banana Pudding Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe
- Heat Oven and Prepare Pan – Preheat the oven to 325 degrees f. Spray pan with baking spray or butter and flour.
- Dry Ingredients – Whisk together the all purpose flour, instant pudding mix, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
- Wet Ingredients – Cream butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, beat to combine. Beat for 3 minutes or until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
- Combine – Add the flour mixture alternately with the mashed banana. Mix until fully combined, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl periodically.
- Transfer to Pan – Pour batter into tube pan.
- Oven – Bake per the baking time in the recipe until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes back clean.
- Make Glaze – Mix together the ingredients until the sugar is completely dissolved then drizzle over the cooled cake. Garnish top with crushed vanilla wafers.
Kitchen Equipment to Make Banana Pudding Pound Cake
- Electric mixer. You can use a stand mixer or a hand mixer.
- Large bowl, medium bowl.
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons.
- Angel food cake pan also called a tube pan.
- Rubber spatula.
- Wire rack.
Recipe Variations, Tips and Substitutions
- Bring Ingredients to Room Temperature – For the best result, allow the cream cheese and butter ample time to soften so they will fully combine when creaming them together. It’s a simple, but imperative step.
- Eggs – You can also take time to allow the eggs to come to room temperature at the same time. This will help ensure even baking.
- Spoon the Flour – When measuring flour to make a cake, never scoop the flour. It’s more accurate to spoon the flour into the measuring cup then level with a knife.
- Alternate Pan – I’m often asked if this cake could be made in a Bundt pan. It could be BUT it’s important not to overfill the pan. Fill it 2/3 full then bake any additional batter in muffin pan or a small loaf pan. When doing so, the volume of batter will be less and will take less time to bake.
- Check for Doneness – Always check the center of a cake with a cake tester or toothpick for doneness before removing from the oven.
- Garnish – You could top this banana pudding cake with whipped cream and garnish with fresh banana slices just before serving.
Storage and Leftovers
- Leftovers – Store this Banana Pudding Cream Cheese Pound Cake in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Freezer – You can make this pound cake then cool and freeze it for up to 3 months. When freezing, it’s best to wait and glaze the cake just before serving it. Thaw it in the refrigerator.
More Southern Pound Cake Recipes to Make
- White Chocolate Cherry Pound Cake is pretty as a picture.
- Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake is rich and decadent made with Dutch process cocoa.
- Orange Pound Cake packs a burst of citrus flavor.
- Homemade buttery Brown Sugar Pound Cake.
- Easy Buttermilk Pound Cake recipe.
- Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake with Vanilla Cream Glaze.
- Pecan Praline Buttermilk Pound Cake is drizzled with a praline glaze that takes it over the top.
- Coconut lovers Coconut Cream Pound Cake with Vanilla Cream Glaze.
- My Aunt’s Lemon Lovers Pound Cake is a family tradition.
- Spiced Cream Cheese Bundt Cake from Southern Living.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Banana Pudding Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Banana Pudding Cream Cheese Pound Cake is a rich, moist dessert made with ripe bananas and pudding mix, topped with vanilla glaze and crushed wafers for a classic Southern flavor.
Servings: 12 pieces
Calories: 768kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cup all purpose flour
- 1 3.4 oz box instant banana cream pudding mix
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 8 oz block cream cheese softened
- 2 medium bananas mashed [to equal 1 cup]
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 5 vanilla wafers crushed for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Move the oven rack to the lower 1/3 of the oven. Spray a tube pan with baking spray or butter and flour. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl use a whisk to sift together the all purpose flour, instant banana pudding mix, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes or until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
- To the bowl add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the mashed banana. Mix on medium speed until fully combined, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl periodically.
- Pour batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 1 hour 30-45 minutes. Check the top for browning around 1 hour 20 minutes and lay a piece of foil on top, if needed.
- Continue to bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes back clean. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes then remove from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Glaze: Mix together the ingredients until the sugar is completely dissolved and no lumps remain. Add additional cream as needed to thin. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
- Sprinkle with crushed vanilla wafers, chill until serving.
Notes
- Bring Ingredients to Room Temperature – For the best result, allow the cream cheese and butter ample time to soften so they will fully combine when creaming them together. It’s a simple, but imperative step.
- Eggs – You can also take time to allow the eggs to come to room temperature at the same time. This will help ensure even baking.
- Spoon the Flour – When measuring flour to make a cake, never scoop the flour. It’s more accurate to spoon the flour into the measuring cup then level with a knife.
- Alternate Pan – I’m often asked if this cake could be made in a Bundt pan. It could be BUT it’s important not to overfill the pan. Fill it 2/3 full then bake any additional batter in muffin pan or a small loaf pan. When doing so, the volume of batter will be less and will take less time to bake.
- Check for Doneness – Always check the center of a cake with a cake tester or toothpick for doneness before removing from the oven.
- Garnish – You could top this banana pudding cake with whipped cream and garnish with fresh banana slices just before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1piece | Calories: 768kcal | Carbohydrates: 103g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 192mg | Sodium: 613mg | Potassium: 168mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 72g | Vitamin A: 1051IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!
I just made this cake and it is very, very good. I added some English Walnuts to the batter and put some on top. I did change the glaze because I did not have whipping cream. I used a small banana mashed up fine and added confectionary sugar, some butter and some rum and vanilla extract. Made a good glaze. The pound cake is moist and tender. Will make again! Thanks for a good recipe.
Baked this yesterday and it is so moist and flavorful. Makes a very large cake so use a large pound cake pan, not a Bundt pan. Only thing I might do next time is add 1-2 tsp of Banana extract for added banana flavor.
Thank you!
I need this cake for a Sunday. How many days in advance can I make it?
Pound cakes keep well if kept chilled. You could make it a couple of days in advance without issue.
OMG! This recipe was fantastic!
Thank you!
This recipe is awesome. Everyone loved it. To add more banana flavor could you double the banana cream? Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Thank you, do you mean the pudding? You could add banana extract to the batter.
Hi Melissa. I’m a 67 year old Sicilian Grandmom who has made and loved at least 75 of your recipes. Your Pound Cakes remind me of my own Nana’s cakes she made while I was growing up in Sicily. My question is- Can I use a bundt pan? I don’t have a angel food cake pan. I gave this recipe 5 stars due to the fact that all your recipes have been 5 stars. Grazie for your passion and incredible recipes. Many blessings, Robin.
Robin, your sweet note made my day, I’m delighted to meet such a sweet person! This is a big cake BUT you could use a Bundt pan. Fill it 2/3 full then any extra batter make into muffins or bake in a small loaf pan. The baking time may need to be adjusted since there will be less volume in each of those. I hope you love this cake as much as we do. Many thanks!
Made this pound cake today. Moist, tender, great banana flavor. Will definitely make again. Thanks for the recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thanks!
I made this today and WOW! It is so delicious. I prefer dark chocolate so the only change I made was to use a chocolate ganache instead of a glaze will definitely make it a staple for my kids
Wonderful, thanks so much!
This is by far the best cream cheese pound cake I have ever made.😋
It was so moist and tender. I took this cake to work and my co-worker’s devour it. Everyone simply loved it. It was a hit and I will definitely make it again and again. I highly recommend this cake.🎂💯🏆👏👏👏
Thanks so much for such a kind note.
My family and friends ate in love with this cake. At one point I was making 2-3 of them a week. My husband couldn’t get enough of it. I love the simplicity of it and how the outcome is so delicious.
Thanks so much Denise, I’m delighted you’re enjoying this cake!
can u use cake flour instead of all purpose flour?
I you prefer but, it’s not necessary for pound cake.
Can you freeze this pound cake?
Absolutely, yes you can. If you plan on freezing a whole cake for future use, wait and add the glaze after thawing.
I need clarification, after applying the glaze the cake must remain refrigerated? Is it served cold?
I store this cake chilled but, it’s perfectly fine to bring to room temperature for serving. Just store chilled.
What name brand of all purpose flour do you use
You can use any brand you like for this cake.
Hello, I’m sorry but I never know if the butter should have salt or should I use unsalted. Which one for this recipe?
You can use either,no worries at all. I typically have salted butter on hand so, that’s what I use most often.
Hello Melissa, I use swan cake mix when I bake a cake, so my question to you is why do you put baking soda and baking powder in your cake or is it just for all purpose flour. I will be trying this recipe for my family reunion Sunday.
Thank you!!!
Have a Bless Day
Yes, I use all-purpose flour in this recipe so, you have to add leavening. I recommend you follow the recipe for the best results. Thanks so much for visiting!
Also, just being creative….you think there’s a way to add vanilla wafers to the inside (reduce the sugar maybe) for an authentic banana pudding experience…hmmm
Cake was an absolute hit. I used vanilla and banana extract but probably didn’t need the banana because the layers of flavor were exceptional. The frosting was way to thin however so I must ask is 2/3 cup the correct measure for the glaze? Thank you (finally) for an (internet) recipe that actually works. I can’t tell you how much $ I’ve wasted on butter, eggs and cream cheese….your diligence is applauded
I’m glad you enjoyed this one, it’s special to me. If you’re questioning the amount of heavy cream in the glaze feel free to adapt to your liking. If you like a thicker glaze add the cream in smaller increments and mix until it reaches your desired consistency. If you chose to use milk or half & half it will be too thin.
Hello Melissa!
I wanted to ask if you are using ripened bananas in this cake. Would love to get a quick response as I’m making a couple of cakes for this Thursday for my husband’s Thanksgiving party at work.
Please respond ASAP. Thanks so much
Ripe bananas, but not over ripe bananas work well in this recipe.
Could you tell me why this cake needs to be refrigerated? Thank you.
You can leave it at room temperature if you prefer however, due to the cream cheese glaze it will keep better chilled.
Thanks Melissa for trying to help on this one, I have never seen banana extract either , so looks like I may have to try it without and just add the extra sugar ..
I do have a packet of Instant pudding mix vanilla flavour would that help at all ??
Thanks Daphne
PS I baked your Million Dollar pound cake yesterday again for the second time and it turned out Marvelous .. .love it . will add my comment on the relevant page as well
I’m always happy to help, no problem. You could use the vanilla, sure and then no need to add extra sugar. It won’t add the banana flavor but, will give the cake nice texture.
Hi Melissa , I would love to try this recipe but I am in Australia and we dont have Bannana cream pudding mix , is there a substitute i could use… many thanks
Hi Daphne, that’s tough one as I’m not familiar with what you may have that could work in your market. You could increase the sugar by 1/4 cup and leave out the pudding mix. Also, add 1-2 tsp banana extract to accommodate for the omission so the flavor will still be highlighted.
I want to make this cake for my husband’s birthday, he loves my cream cheese pound cake and loves banana pudding. Can l add walnuts to the inside of this cake? If so when do like add them to the recipe?
Oh sure, walnuts would be a nice addition. Mix them in by hand after you complete the batter.
I’ve made this cake on several occasions, and each time it is a sure crowd-pleaser! I have one question though- the cake is very thick/heavy. If I were to use less eggs, such as 5 instead of 6 would this make the cake no so thick?
Hi Dornita, I love this cake, too. Actually pound cakes are heavy by their very nature and using less eggs would only serve to make it more dense. I wouldn’t change a thing.