Banana Split Poke Cake
Banana Split Poke Cake is a fun to make, fun to eat, no-fuss summer dessert made with strawberry sheet cake, banana pudding and homemade whipped cream.
Make this Banana Split Poke Cake for your next outdoor summer party – it is sure to be a crowd pleaser! It’s all the nostalgia of a decked out banana split rolled up into a delicious poke cake!
What is poke cake?
Poke cake, as the name implies, is a type of sheet cake that you poke holes into. The holes are made to be filled with a delicious filling, often that filling is pudding, but it can also be frosting, caramel or sweetened condensed milk… really anything that is viscous enough to seep into the holes. Because of this technique poke cakes are really moist and full of delicious goodness in every bite!
Traditionally, poke cakes are topped with whipped cream instead of frosting and are refrigerated until right before serving. They are the perfect, no-fuss, warm weather dessert! You can make and serve them right out of your 9×13 inch pan!
For this Banana Split Poke Cake I use a strawberry sheet cake and poke a bunch of well spaced holes in the top. I used the bottom of my honey dipper to make the holes and they were the perfect size! You can also use the bottom of a wooden spoon. Be careful when you are making the holes that you do not press down all the way through the cake, you want it to be a little pocket for the pudding to seep into, but you do not want the pudding falling all the way through the cake.
What are the layers in a Banana Split Poke Cake?
We start with a boxed strawberry cake and bake it according to the instructions for a 9×13 inch sheet cake. Then we make the holes as we already discussed
The next layer is the banana pudding which seeps into the holes.
We top that with a layer of banana slices, sprinkles and chocolate shavings. This layer is added for texture, if you think about eating a banana split there are actual banana slices and every bite is exciting, this layer plays to that feeling.
That is topped with a thick layer of homemade whipped cream which serves as the “frosting” on the cake.
The rest of the toppings are all for finishing touches. We top the cake with more banana slices, dollops of whipped cream, cherries, chocolate sauce and nonpareils!
This Banana Split Poke Cake is great for an outdoor summer party and is loved by kids and adults alike! As you can see there is really nothing advanced or elaborate about it and you will have so much fun making it!
Banana Split Poke Cake
Ingredients
1 15.25oz Strawberry Boxed Cake Mix
1 5.1oz box Instant Banana Pudding
3 bananas, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles
1/4 cup dark chocolate shavings*
2 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp white sugar
1 can whipped cream
12 maraschino cherries
chocolate sauce
nonpareil sprinkles
Instructions
Bake cake according to package instructions in a 9X13″ pan
After removing the cake from the oven, use the bottom of a honey dipper stick or a wooden spoon to poke evenly spaces holes into the top of the cake**
While the cake cools, prepare the pudding according to package instructions
Once the cake is cooled completely, pour the pudding over the cake in an even layer, filling all of the holes and leaving a thick layer on top of the cake
Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to 8 hours
Remove cake from refrigerator, evenly space all but 12 banana slices to cover the cake in a single layer
Top with sprinkles and dark chocolate
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment make the whipped cream
Add the heavy cream, beat on high
When the cream starts to thicken slowly add in the sugar
Continue to beat until the whipped cream holds a peak
Carefully spread the whipped cream over the cake in a thick layer
Top with the remaining banana slices
Use the can of whipped cream to put little dollops of whipped cream on each banana slice
Top each dollop with a cherry
Drizzle with chocolate sauce
Sprinkle with nonpareils
Refrigerate until ready to serve***
Notes
*cut from a bar of chocolate
**Be sure not to poke the hole all the way through, just about 3/4 of the way works best
***You can make the cake, pudding and whipped cream ahead of time, but once assembled it’s best served within the next hour so the cherries and sprinkles don’t run into the whipped cream
Keywords: #bananasplitpokecake, #pokecake, #summerdesserts
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If you make this Banana Split Poke Cake, let me know how you like it! Leave a comment here and/or give it a star rating! If you snap a photo I’d love to see it – share it over on Instagram and tag me @sprinklesandseasalt!