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. 

Banana Split Poke Cake

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!

Banana Split 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!

Poke Cake

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.

Banana Split Poke Cake Step By Step

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!

Banana Split Poke Cake

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

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Banana Split Poke Cake


  • Author: Sprinkles & Sea Salt

Ingredients

Scale

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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Banana Split Poke Cake

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!

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