Southern Banana Pudding Cheesecake Dump Cake (Printable)
Luscious layers of cheesecake, banana pudding, and buttery dump cake come together in this easy Southern dessert.
# 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 (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish lightly with butter or cooking spray.
02 - In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar until completely smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated and creamy. Spread evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
03 - Arrange sliced bananas evenly over the cheesecake layer in a single layer.
04 - In a clean bowl, whisk together banana pudding mix and cold milk for 2 minutes until thickened. Pour over the banana layer and gently spread to cover evenly.
05 - Sprinkle crushed vanilla wafers evenly over the pudding layer.
06 - Evenly sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix over the top. Do not stir or mix the layers.
07 - Drizzle melted butter over the cake mix, covering as much surface area as possible.
08 - Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is mostly set. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
09 - While cake cools, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
10 - Serve the dump cake warm or chilled, topped with freshly whipped cream. Garnish with additional banana slices and vanilla wafers if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Everything gets layered right into one pan so cleanup is absolutely minimal
- The combination of textures from crisp wafers to creamy cheesecake keeps everyone coming back for seconds
02 -
- The center will still jiggle a bit when you take it out but it continues to set while cooling so do not overbake
- Slicing bananas that are still slightly green will result in a less sweet and more firm texture so wait for those brown spots
03 -
- Use a box grater to quickly crush the vanilla wafers right over the pudding layer for perfect distribution
- If the butter puddles in spots use the back of a spoon to gently spread it into the dry patches before baking