Cream Cheese Banana Bread Poke Cake

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Why This Recipe is a Winner!

• Starts with a Boxed Mix – Saves time and effort while still delivering a homemade taste with minimal fuss.
• Perfect Texture – Moist, tender cake meets smooth, velvety cream cheese for the ultimate mouthfeel.
• Make-Ahead Friendly – Actually tastes better the next day after the flavors have melded together.
• Serves a Crowd – Makes a big 9×13 pan, perfect for sharing.
• Freezer-Friendly – You can freeze leftovers (if you have any!) for a future treat.
  

This easy poke cake starts with a boxed mix but tastes totally homemade.

This poke cake is proof that shortcuts can still be seriously delicious.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• ⅔ cup milk
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 4 very ripe bananas
• 13.25 oz box yellow cake mix
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 12 oz cream cheese frosting
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons Skor toffee bits

Printable Recipe Card with a Full List of Ingredients and Instructions is Located at the Bottom of the Post.

Be sure to read through the entire post so that you don’t miss out on any important tips and tricks!

 Step by Step Instructions

 STEP 1: 

I poured milk, vegetable oil and eggs into a mixing bowl.

I added some ripe bananas to the bowl.

 STEP 2: 

I used an electric mixer to blend all of the ingredients together until no large chunks of banana remained.

 STEP 3: 

I added a box of yellow cake mix to the bowl.

I used the electric mixer to to blend the cake mix and wet ingredients together until fully combined.

 STEP 4: 

I sprayed a baking dish with cooking spray.

I poured the cake batter into the baking dish.

 STEP 5: 

I placed the baking dish in the oven and baked the cake until it was browned across the top and a toothpick inserted in the center came up with just a few crumbs.

 STEP 6: 

I removed the cake from the oven and set it aside to cool.

Once the cake had cooled, I used a wooden spoon to poke roles of holes about 1 inch apart.

 STEP 7: 

I dropped a softened brick of cream cheese into a mixing bowl and added a can of sweetened condensed milk.

I used the electric mixer to cream the ingredients together until smooth.

 STEP 8: 

I poured the cream cheese mixture over the cake.

I spread the mixture evenly over the caking pushing it down into all of the holes.

I covered the cake and placed it in the refrigerator for one hour to let the cream cheese filling set.

 STEP 9: 

After an hour, I removed the cake from the fridge and spooned some canned cream cheese frosting over the cake.

I spread the frosting out evenly over the whole cake.

 STEP 10: 

I sprinkled some chopped walnuts and Skor toffee bits over the cake.

Then the banana bread poke cake was ready to slice and serve!

The cake is moist and tender with the perfect hint of banana.

Pockets of rich cream cheese filling take every bite to the next level.

It might just be your new favorite way to use ripe bananas.

If you are looking for a simple and delicious banana dessert recipe, then you need to try this Cream Cheese Banana Bread Poke Cake!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I use homemade banana bread instead of a cake mix?

• You could, but the boxed cake mix helps keep this recipe super easy and gives a lighter, more tender texture than dense banana bread. If you try it with homemade banana bread, make sure it’s baked in a 9×13 pan and isn’t too thick or heavy.

What kind of cake mix should I use?

• A yellow cake mix or banana-flavored cake mix works best. If you only have white or vanilla cake mix, those will still work just fine.

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

• Definitely! This cake actually gets better after chilling for a few hours or overnight. It’s a great make-ahead dessert for parties or potlucks.

How do I store leftovers?

• Store the cake covered in the fridge for up to 4–5 days. The cream cheese filling means it needs to be refrigerated.

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