A french vanilla flavored cake with banana cream pudding mixed into the batter along with chunks of fresh bananas and crushed Nilla Wafers. No need to get fancy with the frosting, simply top with cool with and Nilla Wafers for all the comforting flavors of banana pudding in a cupcake form.
This is my latest concoction using that new PHILADELPHIA Cooking Creme that I was sent last month to sample. I used the original flavor in this banana pudding cupcake recipe and I’ll have to say it’s a keeper!
The cooking creme made these babies super moist and balanced out the flavors perfectly! The cooking cremes (which come in four flavors) are already starting to hit the shelves so be on a lookout for them in your grocery store.
*UPDATE- Well that was short-lived! I’m told they no longer make cooking creme! Sheesh I was wondering why I couldn’t find it anywhere! No worries, replace the cooking creme with sour cream or as Philadelphia Cream Cheese suggest, replacing it with cream cheese with a couple tablespoons of milk mixed in to create a creamy, whipped texture. I haven’t tried it this way but will report back when I do.

Watch me make these Banana Pudding Cupcakes from start to finish!
Banana Pudding Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 box French Vanilla Cake Mix
- 1 box Instant Banana Cream Pudding 3.4 oz
- 3 Eggs
- 1/2 cup s of Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 cup s of Water
- 10 ounce s of PHILADELPHIA Original Cooking Creme (Update: Cooking cream has been discontinued. You can replace with sour cream or cream cheese mixed with a few tablespoons of milk)
- 1 cup s of Bananas, smashed
- 2 cup s of Nilla Wafers, crushed (plus more for garnishing if desired)
- 8 ounce s of Cool Whip
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add in the first 6 ingredients.
- Mix until all of the ingredients are combined.
- Fold in the bananas and Nilla wafers.
- Line cupcake pans with cupcake baking papers.
- Spoon the batter into the cupcake baking papers (about 3/4 full)
- Place the cupcakes into a preheated 350 degree oven for 18-20 minutes.
- When cupcakes are done, remove them from the pan and place them on a baking sheet.
- Place them into the freezer to cool for 10 minutes.
- Garnish with Cool Whip and crushed Nilla Wafers.
- Serve cold.
Notes
Serve cold!
Great for picnics and potlucks!
I tried these for Super Bowl. They were good…they kind of reminded me of a moist banana bread though. I think I am going to make them again following your recipe for the cupcake itself (accept I will use cream cheese spread instead of sour cream to replace the cooking cream) however next time I plan on following the recipe on the Nilla Wafer box and make the “pudding” separately. Once the cupcakes are done (according to your recipe), and cooled, I am then going to core the center of each cupcake and pipe the pudding in the center of each cupcake (so it’s a filled cupcake with pudding). Instead of the cool whip topping, I will make the meringue topping, crumble the cake crumbs on top and top with a Nilla wafer. I think it will help make it taste more like banana pudding. I will let you know how it turns out. I love your website!
Can I just use regular cream cheese instead of the cooking cream?
love this recipe but i would like to make it from scratch because sometimes the store doe not have the cake mix?
Is there a way to make this recipe without the box cake? From scratch so that if i need to, to just bake half the recipe? Love these cupcakes!!!
Hi,
I saw you stated that sour cream is a great substitute on Philadelphia Cream Cheese site they also posted a substitute – Stating a TUB of Cream Cheese and 2 TBSP of Milk. What you think? This should work too, correct? Also, how much exactly is a TUB…8 oz or 12 oz? I will be making these soon and just wanted to see what I could do. I have been using your website for a lot of my meals and potlucks. So bless you and thank you!
If I can’t find the cooking cream, I just use regular cream cheese.
This recipe has become one of my all time favorite (holiday) desserts. They’re just really rich and moist! It’s like heaven in a cupcake!!
Yeah it sucks they stopped making cooking cream! Sour cream is a great substitute.
They put on their tumblr to use the cream cheese with 2 tbsp of milk. I called them about the fact they discontinued it, stated that sales weren’t good.
Hello. Can I bake this as a WHOLE cake instead of cupcakes? Also, if I can’t find the cooking cream, what can I use as a substitute? Thanks
Trying these today for ladies night!
Do you have to use the cooking creme for these cupcakes?
Have not tried them as of yet, but I will make them this weekend. They look really yummy.
I have been making these cupcakes following this recipe for a few years now. I have never been able to find the cooking cream . I have always subbed 8 oz of WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE instead and they always come out super moist with no issues. Just an idea for those who are looking for a substitution.
Yeah I hear they stopped selling the cooking creme. I loved that stuff! Now I just use sour cream.
Thanks. Do you add anything to the cream cheese as you’re creaming or is it plain?
they no longer have the Philadelphia cooking Cream is it something else we can
I live in a very small town and the grocery store here does not carry French Vanilla Cake Mix. Is there any substitutions I can use instead of that? I really want to make these, they sound soooo good!
They are GORGEOUS. I cannot wait to make them.
I didn’t rate on my previous comment, but I’m sure it’s 5 STARS
My children and I are making these banana pudding cupcakes this weekend!! I know they will be GREAT as all of your recipe’s are that we’ve made! Thanks Monique, for all of your WONDERFUL videos!
I tried this recipe and the cupcakes came out awesome! Love it! Thanks for the recipe!
The cake mix box ox would be helpful. They come in different size boxes.
These were a huge success…hubby liked them, sisters and brother in law liked them!!!! i only had one muffin pan, so i made a loaf cake with the other have of the batter. Also, i made my usual banana pudding filling for the frosting….mmmmmmmmmmm!!! It was good!
This looks delicious, I will try it out. Thanks for the recipe.
I substituted the cream cheese for Greek yogurt and I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil because it was all I had in my house. They turned out delicious. Thank you for posting this!
What other icing may i use
Planning on making these this weekend to take to work on monday but was wondering what other flavor icing would be best used because the cool whip wont hold up until i serve them! Thank you
I actually took these to work and here is what I did. I baked the cupcakes at night and I added the cool whip with crumbs in the AM. They sat on the cubicle pretty much all morning and the cool with stay together. Believe me I was worried too. *** HUGEHIT
I was visiting this recipe to ask for a substitute for the discontinued “cooking creme”. But I see now you have ‘or sour cream’. I made these this weekend with 8 oz of Philadelphia Cream Cheese and 2 oz almond milk I combined in a sauce pan on low heat. I came out just as well as the cooking creme. I will try the sour cream next time.
Instead of the cooking creme can I use the philadelphia whipped creme? Is it the same?
Philadelphia cooking creme is off the market. Have you been able to achieve the same taste and texture with a different ingredient?
I used 8 oz of Philadelphia cream cheese and 2 oz of almond milk (any milk or cream will probably work) in a sauce pan on low heat this weekend. Cooled while I mixed the ingredients. It came out tasting as great as it usually does.
Monique, I made these (finally) tonight! Wow, my hubby called dessert “stupendous” and made me smile! I was disappointed that my Publix didn’t have the plain/original cooking creme, so I used sour cream instead. My son who doesn’t like banana pudding loved the cupcakes. I must also warn you all…the batter is amazing! I know, we shouldn’t eat raw eggs, but I’ve been doing so all my life in raw batter, cookie dough, etc. and I’m fine at 48. Thanks for a great recipe!
Mmm i made a batch for my class in pee dee elementary and they loved them!
Made these for a house party tonight and they were a hit! Thanks, Monique, I think all the other military wives are envious but I tell them all where I get my recipes 😉
First I want to say thanks for telling me about the sour cream, it worked like a dream. Now you need to know that after I made the batter I had to send my husband out of the house. I kept catching him spooning out some batter. I took his spoon but he kept going and getting another one! They really are great and not hard to do. I did decide to do a more sturdy icing. Only because these are going to my husbands work to feed the workers there. I don’t expect them to last long. I always send them my new cakes to get all the input they can give. But I already know this is going to be a winner. Thanks for the great recipe.
I’m making these tonight to serve tomorrow for thanksgiving… I almost ate all the batter while making them. These are absolutely delicious. You make me wanna to change the recipe I use for the cupcakes I make for my home business now and use yours…Great job my fellow Georgia peach!!
can I substitute the real banna for anything I wanna make this for a friend but she is allergic to bannas?
I’m planning on making these cupcakes. I see two different suggestions for a substitution if you can’t find the cooking creme. So should I use the sour cream or cream cheese?
Thank you!
I made these cupcakes over the weekend and OM FREAKIN’ G!!! They were so delicious and a big hit with my family and friends. I will definitely be making these again.
I made these yesterday for friends and we all fell in LOVE! They were soooo delicious! I mixed the cool whip with pudding for the topping though. I can’t wait to make these again!
These are SO good!!!! I made them for dessert a few days ago and I can’t get enough of them!! I omitted the cool whip on most of them and left them plain on the top – makes a great breakfast!!! I also used shortbread cookies instead of nilla wafers.
Great recipe – will definitely make this again and again!!!! 🙂
Would they still come out okay if I substituted the cooking creme (because I can’t find Original anywhere!) for cream cheese? These look so delicious, I want to make batch after batch!
The were just as Monique says in the video DEVIIIIIINE!!! I love love love these so much and can’t wait to serve them at a gathering, party, or BBQ. Thanks so much Monique!!
i tried these last week and they are to die for, i though i messed up cause i used milk instead of water by mistake but they were great
Made these with banana pudding from scratch and people couldn’t get over how amazing they were! Definitely a keeper for future events!
These are seriously the bomb, girl 🙂 I and everyone who’s tried them loves them!
what size cake will this make?
These cupcakes turned out very tasty! I will be making them again to entertain. I will be taking some suggestions from other comments though about firming up the frosting because the cool whip alone melted way too fast. Thanks for a great recipe!
I made this as a whole cake and everyone went crazy for it. A friend of my husband’s drove by to tell me he needed me to make another one whenever I have time. I’m going to take it to Christmas dinner.
Thanks again Diva for another great recipe!! Will definitely be making these very soon!!
I made these cupcake a couple of weeks ago for a bake sale. They were sooooo good! I followed the directions exactly, they were a big hit! Thanks!
Can this be made as a whole cake instead of cupcakes?
I have use this recipe as a cake twice. Delicious! With 1:1 cool whip and white icing!
Made these a few weeks ago when my husband’s family were in town. Everyone loved it! The cool whip ties it all together so well! My husband that doesnt like banana’s ate a few of these cupcakes! YUM
these were delicious! I love them warm. Do you think that I (you) could make a strawberry and gram cracker version of this
Make these cupcakes, they were a HIT! Family, friends and coworkers LOVED them! Thanks Diva! Keep up the great cooking!!
I havent made these myself yet but a friend did, and she made it into a cake. Then she frosted it with 1:1 of whipped cream and frosting.
Tried these today and they were very good. My children loved them and I think I will make them this weekened for a young girls gathering my daughter will be attending.
The only changes I made and was by accident was used french vanilla pudding mix instead of the banana. I was suprised that they still came out tasting so much like banana pudding.
Great recipe!
With all the comments I had to try it….only changes I made (due to what I had on hand ) was I pkg of 8oz cream cheese subbed for the cooking creme. And for the topping I spiked it up by adding I container of banana flavored yogurt. It firms the Cool Whip up and allows you to pipe it on top of the cupcakes like frosting! Everyone loved these cupcakes and most ate 2 – my son at 3 … I was thinking he wouldn't stop there…then he looked at me and said " You know if I take the topping off I can eat these for breakfast"…I told him to just dump the topping out into his coffee and enjoy it all again! Awesome recipe…thanks for sharing….will definitely use this one over and over again!
OMG!!!!!!! These look absolutely amazing! I'm going to make these for my hubby for Father's day….IF I can even wait that long!
OMG! THESE CUPCAKES WERE DELICIOUS!! I LOVE YOUR BLOG BY THE WAY AND I RECOMMEND IT TO EVERYONE! I brought these into work for a coworker who i didn't know was allergic to bananas so i gave some away they were a hit! my husband loved them too but he did suggest that they would taste great with a cream cheese frosting so next time i make them im going to use the frosting recipe from the red velvet cake( which was incredible too). the only thing i added was 1/2 cup milk. Keep up the good work
These cupcakes were amazing, they satisfied my sweet tooth craving! the only problem is I couldn't stop eating them , LOL! Thanks for putting variety in my home with your delicious recipes.
I made these cupcakes and they are probably the best thing I ever made/ate. They were so good I forgot to put the baking cups in the pan because I wanted to have more right away. I even blogged about them and referred people to your site. This is definitely a site I bookmarked.
I got 36 cupcakes…
how many cupcakes does this recipe make?
Monique, Monique, Monique!
I can't even begin to tell you how doggoned good those cupcakes are. Holy moly, I just made them tonight and I'll just say the hubby and I had to take a moment of silence in thanks for the deliciousness! LOL!!!
Thank you again for another wonderful recipe!
Yes, I would make the cupcakes that night (keep them in the refrigerator) and them add the cool whip and Nilla wafer on top in the morning. They would probably be just fine to make and frost that night but I've never let them sit prepared overnight before.
These look great! Keep cooking diva! I wanna make them for a bake sale for church how do I store them overnight? Or is it better just to try and make them that morning?
yes use sour cream
These look so good. I can't wait to try them this weekend. Quick question though. Can you substitute sour cream or something else for the Philadelphia Cooking Creme if you can't find it in your area yet? Thanks!
These are so good!! I couldn't help but make them tonight!!
I only made one change & that was that instead of using the Nila Wafers, I used Pepperidge Farm Chessman Cookies. Paula Deen used them in her Banana Pudding Recipe.
These are great!
OMG!! I'm making these this weekend!! They look so DELISH can't wait to try them!!
I'm going to kick in my oven's door and demand it to work for these!
Holy crap! I am SO making these tonight! These look amazing. 🙂