Strawberry Crunch Banana Pudding brings classic banana pudding and strawberry shortcake ice cream bar flavors into one layered dessert. Soft strawberry cake, vanilla pudding cream, fresh strawberries, sliced bananas, and crisp strawberry crunch give each spoonful a mix of creamy, fruity, and crumbly textures.
Serve it well chilled in a clear trifle dish so the colorful layers remain visible, or assemble it in individual cups for easier serving at birthdays, barbecues, showers, and other gatherings. If you want the layered look shown here, a clear trifle bowl like the Anchor Hocking Monaco Glass Trifle Bowl works well for showing off the strawberry cake, pudding cream, fruit, and crunch. Save the final strawberry crunch topping until serving so it stays crisp.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Creamy, soft, and crunchy layers: The smooth vanilla pudding cream settles around soft strawberry cake and fresh fruit, while the strawberry crunch keeps the dessert from feeling one-note.
A dessert made for a clear dish: Pink cake, pale pudding cream, sliced fruit, and red strawberry topping form distinct layers that stand out in a glass trifle dish.
Easy to portion for a gathering: Build one large trifle for the table or divide the components among individual dessert cups. Cups are especially convenient when guests will be serving themselves.
Familiar flavors in every spoonful: Banana pudding and strawberry shortcake ice cream bar flavors come together in one cold, creamy dessert.
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Crunch Banana Pudding:
- 1 box (15.25 oz / 432 g) strawberry cake mix, plus the ingredients required on the box
- 1 box (3.4 oz / 96 g) instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 can (14 oz / 396 g) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 1/2 cups cold water (355 mL)
- 3 cups cold heavy cream (710 mL)
- 1 lb fresh strawberries, sliced (454 g)
- 4 slightly green bananas, sliced
For the Homemade Strawberry Crunch:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened and divided (227 g)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus up to 1/4 cup more if needed (180 g, plus up to 30 g more)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided (25 g)
- 1 family-size box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 family-size box strawberry gelatin dessert mix
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Bake and Cool the Cake: Bake the strawberry cake according to the package instructions. Allow it to cool completely, then slice half of the cake into small cubes and crumble the remaining half into coarse crumbs. Cover and set aside.
2. Make the Strawberry Crunch: Line two baking sheets, or one large baking sheet, with parchment paper. In one bowl, combine the family-size vanilla pudding mix, 3/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 cup softened butter until the mixture has a play dough-like consistency. In a second bowl, repeat with the strawberry gelatin mix, 3/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and the remaining 1/2 cup butter. If the strawberry mixture is wetter than the vanilla mixture, work in up to 1/4 cup additional flour until the textures are similar. Flatten both mixtures evenly on the prepared pan or pans. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 7–10 minutes, until no longer wet-looking but not yet golden. Cool for about 10 minutes, then crumble and combine. For finer crumbs, pulse briefly in a food processor.
3. Make the Pudding Base: In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and cold water until uniform. Add the instant vanilla pudding mix and whisk vigorously for 1–2 minutes until smooth and lump-free. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours until fully set and solid.
4. Whip the Cream: In a chilled mixing bowl, whip the cold heavy cream on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes until stiff peaks form.
5. Fold Cream into Pudding: Gently fold the whipped cream into the set vanilla pudding base using a rubber spatula until smooth and completely incorporated.
6. Prep Fruit and Assemble: Slice the fresh strawberries and bananas. In a large trifle dish or individual cups, layer the vanilla pudding cream, strawberry cake cubes and crumbs, homemade strawberry crunch, and sliced fruit in your desired order.
7. Garnish and Serve: Top individual portions with an extra sprinkle of homemade strawberry crunch right before serving for maximum texture!
Tips for Success
Choose bananas that will hold their shape: Use slightly green bananas so the slices remain firm after the dessert is assembled. Very ripe bananas soften quickly and are more likely to become mushy in the creamy layers.
Dry the strawberries well: Pat the berries dry after washing so extra moisture does not seep into and thin the pudding cream.
Keep the heavy cream refrigerated: Leave it chilled until you are ready to whip it. A cold bowl also helps the cream reach stiff peaks.
Cool the cake completely: Warm cake can soften the pudding cream and blur the layers.
Match the crunch textures: The strawberry mixture can be wetter than the vanilla mixture. Add up to 1/4 cup more flour, a little at a time, until both mixtures have a similar play dough-like consistency.
Do not overbake the crunch: Remove it from the oven once it no longer looks wet but before it begins to turn golden.
Save the final crunch for serving: Add the final strawberry crunch topping immediately before serving for the crispest finish.
Substitutions and Variations
Replace the strawberry cake with vanilla or yellow cake for a milder flavor.
Use cheesecake-flavored instant pudding in place of vanilla instant pudding for a richer filling.
Assemble the same components in individual cups instead of one trifle dish for parties and easier serving.
Storage and Freshness
Refrigerator: Cover the assembled dessert and refrigerate it for up to 2–3 days. The cake and crunch soften over time, so the texture is best earlier in that window.
Make ahead: Prepare the cake, pudding base, and strawberry crunch up to one day in advance. Refrigerate the cake and pudding separately, and keep the cooled crunch in an airtight container at room temperature. Whip the cream and assemble the dessert several hours before serving.
Extra strawberry crunch: Cool it completely, then cover and store it in an airtight container at room temperature.
Freezer: Freezing the assembled pudding is not recommended because the fruit can become watery and the filling may lose its smooth texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Strawberry Crunch Banana Pudding ahead of time?
Yes. Bake and cool the cake, prepare the pudding base, and make the strawberry crunch up to one day ahead. Refrigerate the cake and pudding separately, and store the cooled crunch in an airtight container at room temperature. Whip the cream and assemble the dessert several hours before serving.
Can I serve this in individual cups?
Yes. Layer the same cake, pudding cream, fruit, and strawberry crunch in clear dessert cups for easy individual portions.
When should I add the final strawberry crunch topping?
Add it immediately before serving. The crunch inside the layers softens as the dessert chills, but the final topping stays crisper.
Can I freeze Strawberry Crunch Banana Pudding?
Freezing is not recommended. Once thawed, the fruit may become soft and watery while the pudding cream can lose its smooth consistency.
Trifle dishes, mixing bowls, whisks, and other items I use to cook and bake are linked for you on my Amazon Storefront!
Strawberry Crunch Banana Pudding
Ingredients
Method
- Bake and Cool the Cake: Bake the strawberry cake according to the package instructions. Allow it to cool completely, then slice half of the cake into small cubes and crumble the remaining half into coarse crumbs. Cover and set aside.
- Make the Strawberry Crunch: Line two baking sheets, or one large baking sheet, with parchment paper. In one bowl, combine the family-size vanilla pudding mix, 3/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 cup softened butter until the mixture has a play dough-like consistency. In a second bowl, repeat with the strawberry gelatin mix, 3/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and the remaining 1/2 cup butter. If the strawberry mixture is wetter than the vanilla mixture, work in up to 1/4 cup additional flour until the textures are similar. Flatten both mixtures evenly on the prepared pan or pans. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 7–10 minutes, until no longer wet-looking but not yet golden. Cool for about 10 minutes, then crumble and combine. For finer crumbs, pulse briefly in a food processor.
- Make the Pudding Base: In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and cold water until uniform. Add the instant vanilla pudding mix and whisk vigorously for 1–2 minutes until smooth and lump-free. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours until fully set and solid.
- Whip the Cream: In a chilled mixing bowl, whip the cold heavy cream on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes until stiff peaks form.
- Fold Cream into Pudding: Gently fold the whipped cream into the set vanilla pudding base using a rubber spatula until smooth and completely incorporated.
- Prep Fruit and Assemble: Slice the fresh strawberries and bananas. In a large trifle dish or individual cups, layer the vanilla pudding cream, strawberry cake cubes and crumbs, strawberry crunch, and sliced fruit in your desired order.
- Garnish and Serve: Top individual portions with an extra sprinkle of strawberry crunch right before serving for maximum texture!
Notes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
If the strawberry crunch mixture is wetter than the vanilla mixture, add up to 1/4 cup additional flour until the textures are similar.
Store extra cooled strawberry crunch in an airtight container at room temperature.
Store the assembled dessert covered in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days.
Prepare the pudding, cake, strawberries, and crunch ahead of time, then slice the bananas and assemble shortly before serving.