Description
Tropical paradise meets classic dessert in this Half Strawberry Shortcake Half Banana Pudding Cake, blending sweet memories with luscious layers. Southern comfort merges with fruity elegance, promising a delightful slice of pure indulgence you won’t want to miss.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Base:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (cold, cubed)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fruit and Pudding Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh strawberries (sliced)
- 2 ripe bananas (sliced)
- 1 cup milk (for pudding)
- 1 cup heavy cream (for pudding)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for pudding)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for pudding)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 package vanilla wafers (for layering)
Topping:
- 1 cup heavy cream (for topping)
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar (for topping)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for topping)
Instructions
- Prepare the oven at 350F (175C) and coat an 8-inch round cake pan with a light layer of grease to prevent sticking.
- Create a dry blend by combining flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Incorporate cold butter into the mixture until it resembles grainy crumbs.
- In a separate container, thoroughly whisk the egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Gently integrate the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, carefully folding in sliced strawberries to distribute evenly.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, ensuring an even spread. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cake to rest for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Craft the banana pudding by warming milk, sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks over medium heat. Continuously stir the mixture for 5-7 minutes until it thickens and reaches a smooth consistency. Remove from heat, mix in vanilla extract, and let cool completely.
- Whip the heavy cream until it forms sturdy, defined peaks. Delicately fold the whipped cream into the cooled pudding mixture, creating a light and airy texture.
- Carefully slice the cooled shortcake horizontally. Position the bottom layer on a serving plate, then generously spread half the banana pudding. Arrange banana slices and vanilla wafers across the surface.
- Position the second cake layer on top. Cover with remaining banana pudding, then garnish with additional banana slices and vanilla wafers for visual appeal and texture.
- Prepare the final topping by whipping heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Smoothly spread the whipped cream across the entire top of the cake for a luxurious finish.
Notes
- Butter Temperature Matters ensure cold butter is cut into the flour mixture for a flakier, more tender cake texture that creates delightful crumbly layers.
- Fruit Freshness select ripe, sweet strawberries and bananas at peak ripeness to enhance the natural flavor profile of the dessert.
- Pudding Consistency control the thickness by whisking cornstarch mixture continuously and removing from heat immediately to prevent lumps or burning.
- Whipped Cream Stability chill the mixing bowl and beaters beforehand for maximum volume and stability when creating the whipped cream topping.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg