Bananas Foster Poke Cake (+Video)
This Bananas Foster Poke Cake starts with a cake mix with bananas and caramel added and topped with whipped cream and Biscoff cookies!
A CLASSIC DESSERT MADE INTO A CAKE!
I love a classic Bananas Foster dessert. This Bananas Foster Poke Cake is all the things I love about that classic dessert but without the alcohol. Now, you certainly could add in a bit of rum or rum extract if you really want to capture that true Bananas Foster flavor. But personally, I don’t think it’s missing at all in this.
TIPS FOR MAKING BANANAS FOSTER POKE CAKE:
- This cake is topped crushed Biscoff cookies on top to get some of that cinnamon flavor added to the party. If you aren’t familiar with Biscoff cookies, just check out my ingredient image below so you can see what the package looks like. If you can’t find them, just use cinnamon graham crackers.
- As I said above, if you want that full Bananas Foster experience, try adding a bit of rum or rum extract in with the caramel sauce.
- Yellow or butter golden cake mixes work for this recipe. You’ll be preparing the cake according to the directions on the back of the box.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- butter golden or yellow cake mix
- ingredients needed to make cake, butter, eggs and water
- caramel sauce
- ripe bananas
- instant banana cream pudding
- milk
- Cool Whip whipped topping
- Biscoff cookies
HOW TO MAKE BANANAS FOSTER POKE CAKE:
Prepare cake according to package directions for a 9×13-inch baking dish. Once it comes out of the oven (while still warm), poke several holes all over the top of the cake. This is easiest with the handle of a wooden spoon or a meat fork (something that will make a large enough hole.)
Pour caramel sauce evenly over cake. Make sure you spread it into the holes (using an offset spatula or a butter knife.) Now, at this point, you need to allow the cake to cool completely.
Once cake has cooled, top with sliced bananas.
In a medium bowl, combine instant banana cream pudding with 1 cup milk. Whisk until smooth and starting to thicken.
Then add in Cool Whip. Stir together gently until combined.
Then spread topping on top of banana layer.
Place Biscoff cookies in a Ziploc bag and crush them up using a rolling pin or other heavy object. Sprinkle evenly on top of cake.
Slice and serve. And if you’d like, drizzle some caramel sauce over the individual servings. Be sure to refrigerate leftovers.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES? GIVE THESE A TRY!
Originally published: July 2013
Updated and published: January 2023
Bananas Foster Poke Cake (+Video)
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce box butter golden cake mix (or yellow cake mix)
- ingredients needed to make cake: butter, eggs and water (for a yellow cake mix, you'll need oil instead of butter)
- 12 ounce jar caramel sauce
- 4-5 ripe bananas, sliced
- 3.4 ounce package instant banana cream pudding
- 1 cup cold milk
- 8 ounce tub Cool Whip, thawed
- 8-10 Biscoff cookies, crushed
- additional caramel sauce, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare cake according to package directions for a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Once it comes out of the oven (while still warm), poke several holes all over the top of the cake using the handle of a wooden spoon or something similar (the holes should be large enough for the caramel sauce to go into.)
- Pour caramel sauce evenly over cake making sure the caramel sauce gets into the holes.
- Spread sauce around and into the holes (using an offset spatula or a butter knife).
- Allow the cake to cool completely. Once cake has cooled, top with sliced bananas.
- In a medium bowl, combine instant banana cream pudding with 1 cup milk. Whisk until smooth and starting to thicken.
- Then add in Cool Whip. Stir together gently until combined.
- Then spread topping on top of banana layer.
- Place Biscoff cookies in a Ziploc bag and crush them up using a rolling pin or other heavy object.
- Then sprinkle cookie crumbs all over the top of the cake. Slice and serve.
Video
Notes
- If you’d like, drizzle some caramel sauce over the individual servings.
- Be sure to refrigerate leftovers.
- Add about a teaspoon of rum or rum extract to the pudding topping for more of that true Bananas Foster flavor.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Should the milk be full fat? Or can I use 1%?
Hi! Your recipe looks amazing… If I were to add bourbon or rum… How much would you suggest to put in your recipe?
Hi Elizabeth – that is a great question. I suppose it would depend on how boozy you want it. I would start small and go from there. Perhaps 1/4 cup to start off.
nice
Hi there! I'm a HUGE fan of poke cakes. You can pretty much tailor them to your taste and you can't possibly go wrong. We do a chocolate one with condensed milk along with caramel sauce, topped with cool whip and chopped toffee chocolate chopped very fine. To. Die. For. This bad baby wasn't a disappointment either. I made the mistake of using vanilla pudding mix instead of banana. Not sure how much the taste changed because of this but not sure it mattered because it was still fabulous. After everyone was done eating, we still had half a cake sitting right in front of us and before we knew it, everyone had grabbed forks and just dug in. Straight from the pan! And I do agree, do not add bananas unless cake will be consumed in its entirety the day of. They brown quickly. Thank you for this post. Much appreciated, though my thighs are probably not thinking the same thing.
OMG!!! This is so good, it is dangerous in my house, lol!!! I made 1/2 of the recipe, using 7.6 oz. of cake mix, 1 extra large egg, a heaping 1/4 cup of water and almost 4 TBS of butter and baked in one 8 X 8 pan. I ended up adding a bit more fresh bananas and forgot to cut the pudding/cool whip amounts in half, oops, lots of yummy topping!! The only thing I changed, other then halving, was to sprinkle on cinnamon after putting on the caramel. This will definitely be made again!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
Looks great but wondering how long the bananas will hold up (not turn brown)? I would be making this the night before an event. Anyone?
What is a biscoff cookie? Could something else be subbed?
It’s a European brand cookie. I found them in Walmart in the cookie aisle.
I just made this tonight for my birthday and it turned out so great!!! I'm pretty sure I could just eat the pudding/whipped cream mixture alone! Thank you for sharing this, I will definitely be making it again!!
I made this cake last week for a neighbor's birthday and it was delicious. Will make it again for other occasions. It's good for making ahead and simple enough that inexperienced or disinterested bakers could easily put it together. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
omg this is sooooo good well worth the effect to make ohhh yes thanks Brandie
omg this is soooooooooooo delious!!!!!! my hubby just loved it made it for our long weekend aug 1/2013 thank you Brandie
Just pinned this – it looks s good!
This recipe came at just the right time! My Father-in-law will be celebrating his 80th Birthday on the 6th of this month and he loves banana!
So going to make this!
Happy Hugs,
Jemm
This looks so delicious. I am going to make it in this weekend.
Why Miz Brandie…I do declare, I too, am SWOONING over this lovely creation! You are the Cake Queen for sure! REALLY love your new header…isn't it fun to change things up now and again? Keep on creatin' and bakin' girl. Maybe I'll get to be the dishwasher when you have your own tv show! You cook…I'll eat..and of course, wash dishes too. =)
Oh my, I'm swooning just looking at this! Must make, must must must must!
Looks delicious! I made the Boston cream poke cake and it was a terrific hit so I will try this one too!
Having trouble navigating internet so this might be a duplicate message. This looks and sounds DELICIOUS. Can't wait to try this. FYI, I prefer the taste of Smucker's Sundae Sauce-Caramel Flavor and I recently purchased a sugar free variety but haven't tasted it yet. Love your website. Thanks for all the time you put into it.
So many recipes I want to try. There goes my diet! I think I will start with this one. YUM
Most instant puddings have sugar free varieties and I found some sauces that were sugar free.
It's 8 am and I am drooling! Love the new blog design to!!!