Punch Bowl Cake Recipe (Easy Southern Potluck Dessert)

This easy Punch Bowl Cake is a classic Southern layered dessert made with boxed yellow cake, vanilla pudding, bananas, pineapple, cherry pie filling, and Cool Whip. It costs just $1.33 per serving, and tastes even better when made the night before.

Punch bowl cake layered in a glass trifle dish.

I love serving Punch Bowl Cake at family gatherings and potlucks because it looks beautiful on the table and gives everyone a generous helping of dessert. You don’t need a special punch bowl to serve it. A trifle dish or a large clear glass bowl works just as well and lets everyone see the colorful layers.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

Carrie, the owner, with long dark hair, wearing earrings and a purple top, smiles at the camera in front of a textured, beige background.

Feeds a crowd. One bowl serves about 15, perfect for potlucks, reunions, and holiday dinners.
Make-ahead friendly. It’s best made the night before, so it’s one less thing to do on party day.
Budget shortcuts. Boxed cake mix, instant pudding, canned fruit, and Cool Whip keep it easy and affordable.

After years of making desserts for family gatherings, I’ve learned that simple assembly can still create a dessert that looks impressive. This recipe is easy to put together with basic ingredients, and making it the night before gives the layers time to chill and the flavors to blend.

You may also want to try Lemon Trifle and Oreo Trifle.

Feeding a Crowd for Less

This recipe makes about 15 generous servings for around $19.91 total, roughly $1.33 per serving. A bakery sheet cake for the same crowd can cost $30 or more. Everything comes from the baking aisle and canned fruit section, so it’s easy to grab on a regular grocery trip.

Ingredients

Yellow cake mix. Any brand works, and today’s smaller 15.25-ounce boxes are fine. It bakes into one 9×13 cake.
Eggs, oil, and water. Whatever your cake mix box calls for.
Instant vanilla pudding mix. Grab two large (5.1-ounce) boxes of instant, not Cook & Serve, which has to be cooked and won’t set up cold.
Milk. The two large boxes call for 6 cups of milk total. We use 5 cups so the pudding sets thick enough to sit on top of the cake instead of soaking in and making it soggy.
Bananas. Use bananas that are yellow without many brown spots. Save the juice when you drain the pineapple and toss the banana slices in it. The acid helps slow browning, and it costs nothing extra.
Crushed pineapple. Drain it really well in a mesh strainer, pressing with a spoon. Save the juice for the bananas.
Cherry pie filling. You can also use strawberry pie filling.
Whipped topping. Thaw a 16-ounce tub of Cool Whip in the fridge overnight so it spreads easily. You can also use homemade whipped cream (see the FAQ for make-ahead tips).
Chopped pecans. These can easily be omitted but we love them.

You can find the complete ingredient list in the recipe card at the bottom.

How To Make a Punch Bowl Cake

Step 1. Prepare the cake mix according to package and bake in a 9X13 baking pan. Allow the cake to cool completely.

Step 2. Mix together the pudding with the milk. While the pudding is thickening, cut the cooled cakes into smaller bite size pieces.

Step 3. Place half of the cake pieces in the bottom of the bowl and press down lightly to make an even layer. Spread half of the pudding over the cake, then add half of the sliced bananas.

Step 4. Spoon 1 can of drained crushed pineapple over the bananas, then 1 can of cherry pie filling, then spread half of the whipped topping on top. Repeat the cake, pudding, banana, pineapple, and cherry layers.

Whipped topping and chopped pecans on the top layer.

Step 5. Spread the remaining whipped topping over the top and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Finished layered dessert ready to serve.

Step 6. Place the lid on the dish or use a layer of plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and then serve and enjoy!

Pro Tips

Use canned pineapple, not fresh. Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme that breaks down dairy, so it can turn the pudding and whipped topping watery and a little bitter. Canning deactivates it.
Cool the cake completely. Even slightly warm cake melts the whipped topping. Bake it the night before to save time.
Let the pudding thicken first. Thick pudding sits on top of the cake instead of soaking in.
Press the cake down lightly. A flat cake layer gives the pudding and fruit an even base and keeps big air pockets out of the bowl.

Substitutions and Additions

Cake. Swap in white cake mix, strawberry cake mix, store-bought angel food cake, or pound cake.
Pudding. White chocolate or lemon pudding both work.
Pie filling. Strawberry or blueberry instead of cherry.
Nuts. Leave them off, or use walnuts, cashews, or almonds.
Toppings. Fresh strawberries, blueberries, or shredded coconut.
Skip the bananas. If you need it to last more than a day, leave them out. Nothing else changes.
Lighter version. Use sugar-free pudding, light whipped topping, and sugar-free cake mix.
Chocolate. Chocolate cake mix and chocolate pudding. If you love this, try our Chocolate Trifle.
Patriotic. Use one can of cherry and one can of blueberry pie filling for July 4th.
Christmas. Sprinkle crushed peppermint or green sprinkles over the Cool Whip for a red and green bowl.

FAQ’s

How many people does punch bowl cake serve?

This recipe makes about 15 servings. For a smaller group, halve everything and layer it in an 8×8 dish or a 2-quart bowl. (Want a lighter version? Use sugar-free pudding, light whipped topping, and sugar-free cake mix.)

How long does punch bowl cake last?

Covered in the fridge, it keeps up to 2 days. After that the bananas brown and the cake gets too soft. I don’t recommend freezing it, since the pudding and fruit turn watery when thawed.

Can I use homemade whipped cream?

Yes. If you’re making the bowl the night before, Cool Whip holds its shape better. With homemade whipped cream, spread it on the day you serve.

Can you make this in advance?

Yes, this recipe can be made 1 day in advance. I actually prefer to do this because the flavors taste even better.

Why is my punch bowl cake watery?

It’s almost always one of four things: the pineapple wasn’t drained well, the cake was still warm, the pudding didn’t thicken before layering, or fresh pineapple was used. Fix those and the layers stay distinct, even overnight.