Southern Strawberry Pineapple Punch Bowl Cake
Creamy, juicy, and delightfully nostalgic, this punch bowl cake layers spongey yellow cake, velvety vanilla pudding, tropical crushed pineapple, sweet strawberries, bananas, and fluffy Cool Whip into a show-stopping trifle.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Punch Bowl or Trifle Dish
- Cake Pans
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix 15.25-ounce box, plus ingredients to prepare
- 3 large eggs for cake preparation
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil for cake preparation
- 1 cup water for cake preparation
Pudding Ingredients
- 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix 6-ounce package, plus 2 cups cold milk
- 2 cups cold milk for pudding preparation
Fruit Ingredients
- 1 can crushed pineapple 20-ounce can, drained well
- 2 packages frozen strawberries 10-ounce packages, thawed and drained
- 2 large bananas sliced just before assembling
- 1 carton Cool Whip 16-ounce carton, thawed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment if desired.
- Prepare the yellow cake batter using the box instructions: mix cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water until smooth. Divide batter evenly between pans.
- Bake cakes for 25–30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on racks.
- While cakes cool, whisk the instant vanilla pudding mix with cold milk for about 2 minutes until smooth. Refrigerate the pudding until set, about 5 minutes.
- Remove one cooled cake layer from its pan and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place the cubes in an even layer at the bottom of a large punch bowl or trifle dish.
- Spread half of the prepared pudding evenly over the cake cubes using a spatula.
- Layer half of the drained crushed pineapple, one package of thawed strawberries, and one sliced banana on top of the pudding.
- Spread half of the Cool Whip over the fruit layer, smoothing gently to cover.
- Repeat the layers: remaining cake cubes, remaining pudding, remaining pineapple, remaining strawberries, remaining banana, and finish with the remaining Cool Whip. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours) to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled with a large serving spoon and enjoy!
Notes
Assemble the day before for best flavor; the overnight chill lets the cake absorb pudding for that classic trifle texture.