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Remember the Chocolate Pecan Mint Roll from our February Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24 post? Well, if you don’t, you should reacquaint yourself! What’s so great about that cake is that it’s flourless and butterless (who wouldn’t like that?), and it’s insanely versatile. And when we say versatile, we mean versatile. You can really do just about anything to it, and it turns out so light and delish every time. It even surprised us just how easy it is to alter the recipe to whatever flavor, taste, or food combination you want–the possibilities are endless! Many readers may know that the Duo is comprised of two friends–Chrystal and Amir. Amir loves bananas! Chrystal, not so much. There are aspects of banana based recipes that can still be enjoyable–the soft bread and crunchy nuts of banana bread, the caramelized brown sugar and rum on bananas foster and the creamy pudding of a banana pudding. When you deconstruct the recipe, it’s the individual flavors that really pop. It’s guaranteed that even a banana hater could potentially enjoy banana pudding in a cake form for sure. Hence, our desire to make an original creation based just on that idea.
We needed a vanilla wafer flavored cake, and this adaptable cake recipe immediately came to mind. Some alterations and additions made for a great dessert that plays on the traditional banana pudding recipe. We knew we had a winner when the female half of this Duo took delighted bite after bite of this cake. The bananas themselves, however, remained on the plate, which reminded us that you can’t make everyone like everything.
This could be slightly labor intensive for some, but it’s worth it! Break up the steps and make the cake and pudding ahead of time–the night before if you prefer. From there, it’s just a matter of assembling.
Banana Pudding Cake – Serves 12-16
Cake
7 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups vanilla wafers, finely ground
2-3 cups vanilla wafers, crumbled
3 large bananas, sliced
Pudding
3 egg yolks, beaten
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt
Whipped cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar and set aside.
2. In bowl of an electric mixer, whip egg whites until stiff.
3. Add baking powder, processed wafers, and cocoa to egg yolk mixture.
4. Drop about 1/4 of egg whites into larger bowl and fold lightly. Fold in remaining whites carefully.
5. Line a jellyroll sheet pan with parchment paper covering all sides and spray paper with non-stick floured baking spray. Spread cake batter onto paper, so it covers the entire pan.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
7. Let cake cool completely on sheet (at least 30 minutes to an hour).*
8. As cake cools, mix sugar, flour and salt in top of a double boiler. (If you don’t have a double boiler, a larger saucepan on top a smaller saucepan with water boiling works just fine!)
9. Blend in egg yolks and milk. Cook, uncovered, over boiling water, stirring constantly for 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened.
10. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.
11. When cake is cooled, carefully lift the parchment paper, remove from pan and place on a flat surface. Starting from the short end, cut into three even pieces.
12. Place first layer of cake on a serving platter. Spread half of the custard over the top of the cake, then cover with one third of the banana slices. Take about one third of the crumbled wafers and sprinkle over custard-banana layer. Top with next piece of cake and repeat, being sure to reserve a few bananas and crumbled cookies.
13. Spread the final amount of custard onto the top layer of cake, and refrigerate the whole cake for at least 2 hours or until ready to serve.
14. Just before serving, make whipped cream topping. Combine all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until cream thickens and becomes stiff.
15. Spread whipped cream on cake and top with remaining banana and wafers.*
*You can even spread the whipped cream on the final cake layer and refrigerate all together. We suggest not topping the cake with the fresh bananas and cookies until you are ready to serve, however. Otherwise, the bananas will brown. Keep them fresh by sprinkling with a bit of lemon juice and placing them in an airtight container until ready to use.
Click HERE for the printable recipe.
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I LOVE anything bananas!!! What a great thing to make when you have friends or family over.
Thanks for the recipe!
This cake looks like such a sweet treat! And even banana haters can begin to love them in this wonderful cake pudding 🙂
Great job mouth-wateringggg with the image 🙂
You know I’m crazy for sweets!
Wow, what a creative & yummie banana dessert!! It looks divine!!!!! Well done!!
That’s the perfect way to describe the high quality of the dish – if someone who dislikes one of the ingredients enjoys it, it’s got to be good. (Personally, I’m not a fan of bananas either.)
My head seriously just exploded for that amazingness
Wow! This looks delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Reminds me of my sissy’s nanner puddin’ . . . one of my fave things at church picnics.
I didn’t like bananas either until I experienced them cold. I still am not a big fan of naners at room temperature, but I adore them right out of fridge!
this is like the best of too many worlds: bananas, wafers, pudding…cake!? yum. 🙂
Fantastic. I’ve never seen anything quite like this.
Thanks for sharing,
Eric
This cake sounds incredible! I’ve been wanting to make a banana cream pie for some time, but this looks so much more delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Seriously???????? 🙂
How wonderful! I’m going to have to check out that recipe for a flourless and butterless cake. Who knew it could be done! 🙂 yumm
PS.. I responded to the shark question!
Wow, this cake sounds incredible! Very decadent!
I do love banana pudding, and this looks great!
My husband’s favorite fruit is banana, and he’ll eat any dessert that contains them. I usually make him a banana pudding with a meringue topping, I can’t wait to try this recipe.
I want to live in your kitchen. I don’t take up a lot of space and I’m happy to survive off of scraps. Especially if the scraps have anything to do with banana pudding cake. Wow!
I’d like to move in too please 🙂
You know you guys are killing me lately … you food is just too good looking! 🙂
I love banana cream pie and banana cheesecake. I really love those flavors, so when I saw this I was in heaven. This looks sooooooooo good!
This is seriously so frickin’ beautiful that I want to cry!
OMG you read my mind, wait till you see what I am posting in the next couple of days – mine is still ‘soaking’
ohh, i love bananas! this sounds delicious 🙂
Well, I’m not a big banana fan, but I would totally try this. It looks great!
That looks heavenly!! I’m all about bananas!!!
This looks totally divine. What a fabulous, comfort food recipe!! I’m so glad you found my blog, because it let me clink on your link and led me here: to your AMAZING blog. You have such fantastic recipes; I’m so excited to become a follower. Can’t wait to keep reading!
That looks dang delicious. Wow, So, so yummy. I do love bananas myself.
Sounds great! I, too am a banana hater except when it comes to banana nut bread and banana pudding (i pick around the bananas). This recipe sounds right up my alley. I’ll definitely try it out!
I love bananas!! The pic of your banana pudding cake got me all excited!
This is so good on so very many levels! I’m happy to see whole Nilla Wafers still made it – it’s beautiful as it is but those wafers make it banana pudding!
Well, I’m with Chrystal on the limited intake of bananas, but I’m willing to try this delectable sounding treat out on my family.
I have a little something for you two cutie pies back at the Crispy Cook, so stop by soon.
NO ONE makes banana pudding like Amir… and he just took it to the next LEVELLLLLL! Loveyoubooboo.
I have sweets cravings today and now I look at this. Wish I could taste it.
Omg, that picture is pure evil. I seriously leaned in towards my computer screen when I saw it. It’s… hypnotizing. I just want to… dip my face in it…
I am all over bananas when it comes to baking.. combine them with vanilla wafers and I am gaga!! Looks delicious..
Oooh look a that! I love the way that the filling just oozes out the side. That is pure food porn! 🙂
I don’t know if the word pudding does justice to this! I’d love some now, and with the bananas, please 🙂
Yay!!! Looks awesome!
NAOmni
This looks fantastic!!! I love how the filling is just oozing out from the size. I would love to try this sometime.
Oops… I meant side, not size. =)
WOW! That looks beyond fantastic. When I was a kid I used to love going over to my friend grandmother’s place cause she’d always have something similar to this in a bowl (more like a triffle). I’m totally making some version of this this weekend.
Beautiful! Yum! I want to eat that for breakfast right now!
God God Almighty thats fantastic. I would be so happy to have a slice. Brilliant.
Oh my goodness. I LOVE all banana desserts– had grilled bananas with vanilla bean ice cream the other night– and this looks like something I just NEED. Humina humina humina.
I am so not a baker, so this dessert sounds right up my alley! Plus, vanilla wafers are my childhood treat, so I need to revisit those treats, ASAP!
umm…. YUM. if i make a trip to LA will you all fix me a lovely dish of something tasty like this?!
Ohhhhhhhhhhhh this looks like something I can eat whole. I love the vanilla wafers in it, those were some of my favorite cookies as a kid. 🙂
Oh my. This is definitely FOOD PORN at it’s greatest. It’s gorgeous. Way to do it to it, Duo!
I agree, Food Porn for sure!! Lovely.
A dessert like this brings out the kid in me. I would love a slab of this now.
This looks insanely good! I love banana desserts!!
How good does that look? Unbelievably good! Love it.
Ooo wow this looks delicious!
I ate that soooo much growing up, I say it up here in the NE and now one has heard of it, but I am telling you two that is some delicious puddin’ it would have made my mamma cry! Serious pudding you two are killing me up and over here in NJ…I am going home in June and that is on my list for my older sister to make!
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