Name: Bananas & Cream Pound Cake
Prep time: 80 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 15 servings
Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, softened; 1-1/2 cups sugar; 3 large eggs, room temperature; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 cup buttermilk; LAYERS:; 2 cups 2% milk; 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant French vanilla pudding mix; 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk; 1 package (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided; 5 medium ripe bananas

This banana pound cake got me a date with my future husband. At a church event, he loved it so much, he asked for another piece. The rest is history! —Courtney Farnon, Cartersville, Georgia

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1-1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk

LAYERS:

2 cups 2% milk

1 package (3.4 ounces) instant French vanilla pudding mix

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 package (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided

5 medium ripe bananas

Instructions

1 Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.

2 Transfer to a greased and floured 9x5-in. loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

3 In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and condensed milk until smooth; fold in pudding. Fold in 3-1/2 cups whipped topping.

4 Cut cake into 8 pieces; arrange on bottom of an ungreased 13x9-in. dish, trimming to fit as necessary. Slice bananas; arrange over cake. Spread pudding mixture over top. Refrigerate, covered, for 3 hours. Serve with remaining whipped topping and, if desired, additional bananas.