Banana Pudding Layer Cake
Serves: 1 (8-inch) cake
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup whole buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 cup mashed ripe banana
  • 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1⁄2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 (3.4-ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix
  • 1 cup cold whole milk
  • 1⁄4 cup cold heavy whipping cream
  • 2⁄3 cup1⁄4-inch-sliced banana(about 1 medium banana)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • Vanilla Buttercream (recipe follows)
  • Vanilla wafer crumbs
  • Garnish: mini vanilla wafers
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325°. Spray 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, buttermilk, mashed banana, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to banana mixture, whisking until just combined. Divide batter between prepared pans.
  4. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on a wire rack.
  5. In a medium bowl, whisk together pudding mix, cold milk, and cold cream until thickened, about 2 minutes.
  6. In a small bowl, toss together banana slices and lemon juice.
  7. Place 1 cooled cake layer on a cake plate. Place 1 cup Vanilla Buttercream in a pastry bag; cut a 1⁄2-inch opening in tip. Pipe a tall border of buttercream along top outside edge of cake layer. Place banana slices inside border in an even layer. Spread half of pudding mixture (3⁄4 cup) on top of banana slices. Top with remaining cake layer. Pipe a border of buttercream on top outside edge of cake. Spread remaining pudding mixture on top of cake inside border. Return any remaining buttercream in pastry bag to bowl.
  8. Place 3⁄4 cup buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with a medium open star piping tip (Wilton 1M). Spread any remaining Vanilla Buttercream on sides of cake. Press vanilla wafer crumbs along bottom edge of cake. Pipe rosettes on top of cake along outside edge. Garnish with mini vanilla wafers, if desired. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Recipe by Paula Deen Magazine at https://pauladeenmagazine.com/banana-pudding-layer-cake/