Southern Banana Pudding Cheesecake Dump Cake (Printable)
A luscious fusion of creamy banana pudding, rich cheesecake, and buttery cake, perfect for gatherings.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cheesecake Layer
01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ Banana Pudding Layer
05 - 2 large ripe bananas, sliced
06 - 1 (3.4 oz) package instant banana pudding mix
07 - 2 cups cold milk
→ Dump Cake Layer
08 - 1 (11 oz) box vanilla wafer cookies, coarsely crushed
09 - 1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
→ Topping
11 - 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
12 - 2 tbsp powdered sugar
13 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
14 - Extra banana slices and vanilla wafers for garnish
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish lightly with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Beat cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl until completely smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined and creamy. Spread evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
03 - Arrange sliced bananas in a single layer over the cheesecake mixture, ensuring even coverage.
04 - Whisk instant banana pudding mix with cold milk for 2 minutes until mixture thickens considerably. Pour over the banana slices and spread gently to create an even layer.
05 - Sprinkle coarsely crushed vanilla wafer cookies uniformly over the pudding layer.
06 - Evenly distribute the dry yellow cake mix over the crushed wafers. Do not stir or mix the layers.
07 - Drizzle melted butter across the entire surface of the cake mix, covering as much of the dry mix as possible.
08 - Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the top turns golden brown and the center appears mostly set. The surface should be slightly crisp but still yield to gentle pressure.
09 - Allow the cake to cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. This helps the layers set properly.
10 - While the cake cools, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat.
11 - Serve the dessert warm or refrigerated until fully chilled. Top portions with freshly whipped cream, additional banana slices, and extra vanilla wafers as desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It feeds a crowd without breaking a sweat or your budget
- The contrast of warm buttery cake and cool creamy layers is pure magic
02 -
- The center will continue setting as it cools, so don't panic if it looks slightly underbaked when you pull it out
- Wait at least 30 minutes before serving or the layers will slide apart and you'll end up with a beautiful mess instead of a beautiful dessert
03 -
- Slice bananas just before layering them because they brown quickly once exposed to air
- Cover the edges with foil if they're browning too fast while the center finishes baking