Banana Pudding Icebox Cake

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This Banana Pudding Icebox Cake is the perfect no-bake dessert for summer. It’s a thicker, more fancy-looking version of banana pudding and it’s absolutely delicious!

Banana Pudding Icebox Cake on a cake stand with a slice removed

Banana Pudding Icebox Cake

So I’m going to get serious for a minute. Yesterday’s church service was just too good for me to not share it with you. To finish up a series, we had Benjamin Watson of the New Orleans Saints join us. You may or may not be familiar with Benjamin Watson’s Facebook post that went viral last fall after the verdict in the Ferguson case was released. It’s one of the most well put things I’ve ever read – accurately capturing the range of emotions that I’m sure many have felt.

There have been so many cases in the news – Ferguson, Baltimore (and more) and now the awful shooting in Charleston. It overwhelms me how much hate and pain fills the news every time something happens and it makes me sad. Benjamin Watson said it better than I ever could have. He talked of sin and the Gospel and bringing communities together – not tearing them apart. Yesterday’s message was moving, insightful and sparked a great discussion between the hubs and I. I absolutely recommend watching it. I hope it inspires you like it did us. Before I move on to the recipe, I’ll leave you with this bit of scripture that was sort of the point of the message:

“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:26–28

Banana Pudding Icebox Cake on a glass cake stand
Banana Pudding Icebox Cake slice on a plate

So I’m not entirely sure how to move on from that to a recipe, so I’ll just do it. 🙂

This icebox cake is layers of a banana and vanilla flavored filling that’s somewhat mousse-like and very light, with a layer of vanilla wafer cookies and bananas in the middle. It’s so easy to make – the hardest part is letting it sit in the fridge to firm up.

How to Make Banana Pudding Icebox Cake

To put the layers together, you’ll make the banana and vanilla filling separately, though they have similar ingredients. The vanilla filling is made by mixing cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Some milk and vanilla extract are added, then homemade whipped cream is folded in. You could substitute Cool Whip if you prefer to simplify the recipe even further. I won’t tell.

The banana layer is made exactly the same way, except that dry banana pudding mix is added before the whipped cream is folded in. You don’t actually make the pudding, just add the dry mix. It will make the mixture kind of sticky, but that’s ok. As you fold in the whipped cream, it will loosen up and become a nice consistency. It might take a minute, so be patient. It will all come together.

The fillings are layered with the vanilla wafers and banana slices. I dipped the wafers in some milk first to help them soften. Nobody wants a cookie they can’t cut through.

Once everything is layered, just let it set up in the fridge until firm. It’s made in a springform pan, so that you can remove the sides and have a pretty looking dessert, but you could also make it in a 9×9 square pan, if you prefer. Either way, it’s easy peasy and delicious! The hubs’ literally refused to let me share it. 🙂

Banana Pudding Icebox Cake on a glass cake stand

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Banana Pudding Icebox Cake on glass stand
Recipe

Banana Pudding Icebox Cake

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 12-14 Servings
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: No Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Banana Pudding Icebox Cake is the perfect no-bake dessert for summer. It’s a thicker, more fancy-looking version of banana pudding and it’s absolutely delicious!


Ingredients

VANILLA FILLING 

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/8 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

BANANA FILLING 

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp milk
  • 3.4 oz package of dry banana cream instant pudding mix
  • 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS

  • Vanilla Wafer Cookies
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 34 Bananas
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. To prepare the vanilla filling, beat cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a mixer until smooth.
2. Add milk and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Set aside.
3. To make the whipped cream, whip heavy whipping cream until it begins to thicken.
4. Add powdered sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.
5. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Set aside.
6. To prepare the banana filling, beat cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a mixer until smooth.
7. Add milk and beat until smooth.
8. Add dry banana cream pudding mix and mix until smooth. Mixture will be sticky. Set aside.
9. To make the whipped cream, whip heavy whipping cream until it begins to thicken.
10. Add powdered sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.
11. Fold whipped cream into banana mixture. It might seem like it won’t come together at first, since the cream cheese mixture is sticky, but carefully fold the two together and they will smooth out.
12. To layer the dessert, I’d recommend first lining the sides of a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper, to make removal from the pan easier. The parchment paper will keep the sides of the dessert from sticking to the pan. Then spread half of the banana filling evenly in the bottom of the pan.
13. Top the banana filling with half of the vanilla filling.
14. Dip vanilla wafer cookies into the milk, one at a time, and add them in a single even layer on top of the vanilla filling.
15. Spread a very thin layer of banana filling on top of the cookies. You should still be able to see the cookies. This layer is primarily to fill ing the gaps left around the cookies.
16. Add a layer of sliced bananas.
17. Top banana slices with remaining banana filling and spread into an even layer.
18. Add remaining vanilla filling and spread into an even layer.
19. Place pan in the freezer until firm, 4-5 hours.
20. Once firm, remove icebox cake from springform pan and place on serving plate.
21. Add additional heavy whipping cream to a mixer bowl and whip until it begins to thicken.
22. Add powdered sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.
23. Pipe whipped cream around the edges of the icebox cake and top with additional wafer cookies and banana slices.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Slice
  • Calories: 527
  • Sugar: 42.1 g
  • Sodium: 336.9 mg
  • Fat: 28.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 61.1 g
  • Protein: 8.4 g
  • Cholesterol: 91.1 mg

Filed Under:

Enjoy!

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74 Comments
  1. Karon

    I love this recipe. The puddings are delicious! It’s such an impressive dessert with very little effort. I did make a vanilla wafer crust for the bottom and added a little vanilla flavoring in the whipped toppings. Also you can make the whipped topping all together and just measure out the amounts for each pudding mixture which is 1 cup heavy whipping cream and 1/2 cup powdered sugar equals 2 cups of whipped topping.






  2. Ruth

    Is this recipe a frozen ice cream cake or icebox (fridge) cake? The directions say to place in freezer for 4-5 hours to firm up. Is it taken out and kept in the fridge after that? It looks delicious and I would like to make it in advance of a party but wondering if it is to be stored in the freezer.

    1. Lindsay

      This one is meant to be frozen, but I do think it would be fine if you stored in the fridge too. It’s been a while since I’ve made it, so I can’t remember the exact texture, but the ingredients are very similar to other icebox cakes of mine that I don’t freeze.

  3. Keira

    I need to write this review! I first made this recipe for my husband in 2020 and have been making it so much because everywhere I go people want me to make it! It is a TOP favorite and I bake all the time. Thank you so much for sharing such an amazing dessert. P.s. made it twice this week!






  4. Suellen

    I made this for our staff meeting today. Many of our local staff here in Haiti have never had banana pudding. They loved it! I was looking for a recipe that would hold up and make a nice presentation. This was perfect. I made a cookie crust and the presentation was beautiful. I couldn’t find nilla wafers so I made it with langues de chat. They are thinner so I made a double layer of cookies. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing.






  5. Karon Waters

    This is a great recipe for an alternative banana pudding! It is very rich, but light and flavorful. I was concerned that the banana cream instant pudding would give it an artificial taste however mixing it with the homemade whipped topping is great. I did make a vanilla wafer crust to give it a base for all the puddings. Yummy!






  6. Janet

    Since the CDC says it’s now safe for vaccinated adults to get together with other vaccinated adults, I want to have a small group of friends over (after a very long year!) and I was thinking of serving this cake, it looks very festive. My question is this, the get together won’t be a sit down meal, but rather dishes set out so that people can help themselves. So I’m wondering, since it’s frozen, how long can this cake be left out. It’s not ice cream, so it won’t melt. But since the directions say to freeze it, not just refrigerate, I’m uncertain as to what might happen if it’s left out for a while.

  7. Branda

    How long can i freeze this?If i made this tonight and didnt add the acutal banana slices would this be good come Thursday if i freeze it now until then? Traveling for the holidays and trying to make most of stuff ahead of time 🙂

  8. Linda butler

    For the banana pudding filling, it states 3.4oz of dry filling of banana pudding mix. The dry boxes here are .9 oz. so was I supposed to put in 4 dry packets? It turned into a hard lump that would fold in. Should I have only used 1 .9oz package?

    1. Lindsay

      Gosh, I’m not sure. I’d think you’d want to use the same amount by weight but maybe the ingredients in the box are a little different?

  9. Lynn

    Wondering if bananas turn brown in this dessert? I want to make this for Christmas buffet.  I am making it day before.. Thus the concern that bananas will be dark. 

    I just got yout new cookbook Simply beautiful homemade cakes. Every recipe looks so good. Can’t wait to make several. Cookbook is well done  with detailed directions and great tips!  ????

    1. Lindsay

      I believe I had it frozen before serving and they were fine. You could sprinkle some lemon juice on the bananas before adding them, which helps.

      Thanks so much for the support of the cookbook! Glad to hear you’re enjoying it so far! 🙂

  10. ???? Pineapple Cyndi ????

    Lindsay, one more thing…
    It’s awesome that you talk about how you put your recipes together, not just posted a recipe with instructions.
    It personalizes everything, as does the way you subtly share your faith. Thank you for that.

  11. Alison

    HI……..I just made this beautiful dessert and popped it in the freezer. I did however make one change. I hesitated on the 1 Tbsp of vanilla but went ahead and made the vanilla filling as written. When I tasted it ,the vanilla was really overpowering and the filling actually tasted boozy to me. To adjust to my taste, I made another recipe of the vanilla filling without the vanilla and folded it into the original vanilla filling. I was actually wondering like the other commentor if the Tbsp was a typo. Everything else went great and I can’t wait to taste this masterpiece. You are an awesomely talented baker and I hope to be like you when I grow up :).

    1. Lindsay

      Hi Alison! It isn’t a typo but can certainly be adjusted to your preference. I find that cream cheese can have a very strong flavor so I often use more than the average amount of flavorings when using it, similar to how I do with cheesecakes. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks Alison!

  12. Cecelia Dowdy

    Goodness, this sounds like a decadent winner! I love banana cream pie and I also love banana puddings. Sounds fabulous!

  13. Sarah

    Hi, this looks so delish! I’m planning to make this in a glass 9×13 dish, because I don’t have a 9 in springform. Would you think these measurements would work for that size or do you think I need to multiply by 1.5 or 2? Any thoughts appreciated!! Thanks!!

    1. Lindsay

      Hmm, hard to know exactly how much would be best since I haven’t done it. If your 9×13 pan is a little shorter, I’d probably say 1.5.

  14. Angela

    This looks amazing! I can’t waittotry it. I’ve been teaching myself cake decorating and someone recommended a banana pudding cake. After searching many recipes this one is hands down the best! She will be amazed! Thanks for sharing!

  15. Susan

    This cake will have a permanent place in my summer dessert rotation. Fantastic! Easy, and the perfect hot weather dessert–no oven required. My only mods were Neufchâtel instead of cream cheese, and reduced fat vanilla wafers. I’m just hoping there’s a slice left for breakfast. Thanks for an outstanding recipe!

  16. Sarah

    Will the bananas brown if they’re in the freezer for too long? Will the cake
    Not taste as good if it’s in the freezer too long? How long can it be in for ?

    1. Lindsay

      I’m not sure about the browning in the freezer. I’d guess they would. This one was frozen for about 24 hours before photographing it. Most things deteriorate if frozen too long, but generally about a week is best, thought it could be ok for longer.

  17. Blue

    After the banana pudding icebox cake is made should it be stored at room temp, in a fridge or freezer? Is it ok to make it a day or two in advance?

    1. Lindsay

      Definitely in the fridge or freezer, not room temperature. You could make it in advance, but keep in mind that the bananas could brown a bit. I froze ours.

  18. Tina

    So I’m a little lazy about making whipped cream 🙂 and will be using ready made. Based on one of the other comments I see you already answered to us 8 oz. Tub per. What I need to know is do I still need to add the powdered sugar to the cool whip I would be using. I wasn’t sure on that part. Thank you. I seriously can’t wait to make this!!! 😀

    1. Lindsay

      I can be lazy with whipped cream sometimes too. 🙂 No, you don’t need the powdered sugar if you use cool whip. Enjoy!

  19. Pawanjit

    I made this last week for my dad’s birthday. Everybody enjoyed it so much. I made it with vanilla gram crackers. Delicious!!! Turned out great. Easy to make. ????

      1. Pawanjit

        Made this again for my brother’s birthday. I used pistachio flavor instead of banana and added almond and pistachio nuts. Everyone enjoyed it! 

  20. Restless

    Thanks for the recipe for the delicious looking cake and for the scripture reference too. It’s reassuring that those who are “clothed with Christ” are children of God and there are no favorites with Him based on race, social position or gender. We are all “ONE” in Christ Jesus.
    “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:26–28

  21. Leiann

    Made this for church pot luck. It was yummy but did not set up like your picture. I want to make this for my restaurant class a school but need help as to why mine was soooo soft. Thanks!

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      Well the one in the photos is actually frozen. I froze it first and then let it sit in the fridge because we preferred it that way. Maybe try that?

  22. Katie

    Can’t wait to make this for my husband’s birthday! Question though… we are going to a show and having friends come over after for dessert. I would like to have it already to go when we get back. Do you think if I remove the springform and place it on a cake stand in the fridge it will be okay while we are out? Then I would only have to add the whip cream (store bought) and toppings when we return? Thanks so much; looks so yummy!

  23. Twanae

    This looks delicious. I’ve never used a springform pan before. So, I’m wondering do I need to spray with PAM or coat with butter? I want to try this today. Thanks!

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      I added a little bit to the instructions to help with this. I line the sides of my pan with parchment paper to help with it not sticking (picture). Then once I remove the dessert from the springform pan, I can peel the parchment paper off of the sides. I hope that helps!

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      Definitely. I actually had it in the freezer at first, we just preferred it in the fridge and a little softer, but you could always let it soften a bit before serving.

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      Since you buy Cool Whip in ounces, that might be more helpful. I’d replace 1 cup of whipping cream (and the powdered sugar that goes in it) with 8 oz of Cool Whip. So you’ll want three 8 oz containers.

  24. Nancy Lockman

    Are the pudding mixes the ‘instant mix’ or the type that are ‘made to be cooked’?
    Pudding mixes come in two types.
    Thank you, Nancy

  25. Bonita Mabus

    I am assuming the pudding mix is not instant. Is that correct? I can’t wait to fix this…it is beautiful! Thank you so much.

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      Every recipe is printable. There’s a button just to the right of the recipe name. Pinterest is also great for linking to the things you want to come back to later. Is that what you are asking?

  26. Nancy

    Can this recipe be frozen? We are planning a trip to a friend’s cottage so I need something I can make ahead of time and then bring with us. I’m hoping to freeze it in the springform pan ao that I can thaw it while we are there.

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      Yes, it can be frozen. Just store it in the refrigerator when you’re ready to thaw it. 🙂

  27. Carla

    Hi! Making this for hubs birthday… On Step 11, did you mean banana mixture? Just want to be sure! Banana pudding dessert is his fave, so hoping this will be his new fave ever. Thanks for posting!

  28. Carla

    Hi!! On Step 11, did you mean to fold it into the banana mixture?? Making for hubs birthday and just want to be sure. He Loves old-school banana pudding dessert, so I am hoping this is his new fave! Thanks for posting!

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      Yes, the banana mixture. I’ve updated the instructions so that’s clear. Thanks Carla! I hope he enjoyed it!

  29. Beth @ bethcakes

    This is such a great post! Definitely not what I thought it was going to be when I clicked on it, but I’m glad I read it. I actually visited the church in Charleston on Sunday. What happened was terrible, but it was moving to witness such a strong community supporting the families involved. This icebox cake is wonderful and I’m sure a slice of it would cheer up anyone who needed it 🙂

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      Oh wow, how amazing that you were able to go by there. It’s incredible how they’ve handled such an awful situation. Thanks Beth!

  30. Jessica @ Sweetest Menu

    Well said Ashley! And my oh my, that cake is incredible to say the least. I stashed a box of nila wafers in my suitcase from our recent trip to the US, I just might have to whip them out for this!!!

  31. Erin R.

    Lovely. I had never read that scripture before. I’ll dig out my bible and look it up tonight. Thank you for passing it along.

  32. June @ How to Philosophize with Cake

    What a gorgeous icebox cake! I’ve never tried making an icebox cake but they sound cool…might have to try one this summer!

  33. Julia Hampton - Sprinkled With Jules

    This sounds amazing. You must teach me how you get those layers of fillings so perfectly straight and clean!

  34. Mir

    Oooooh, pretty. Probably the prettiest icebox cake ever.
    It’s a really tough time right now in this country. So much good and bad happening at the same time. I wonder what people will think looking back 50 years from now.

  35. Catherine

    Dear Lindsay, Vanilla wafer cookies bring back so many memories from when my kids were little. I love the sound of this icebox cake. It looks fun and indulgent. I wish I had a slice! xo, Catherine

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I'm a wife and a mom to twin boys and a baby girl! And I've got a serious sweets addiction! Bring on the treats!

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29