Ascension/Birthday Banana Poke Cake

Happy Feast of the Ascension and Happy 25th birthday to my wonderful husband! While Ascension traditionally falls on a Thursday, forty days after Easter, in most places in the U.S. it is celebrated the Sunday after, so this year that means May 12th.

I know that's Mother's Day, but I can tell you that as a mother, I wouldn't mind sharing the celebration with the Lord! (My birthday is already on Christmas Eve anyway, so I'm used to it!)

I heard of one Ascension tradition of having a picnic on a hilltop symbolizing being close to heaven. The weather has been beautiful here and that sounds like a wonderful idea! We've been having picnics in our yard almost everyday since it warmed up, so why not pack up some lunch and have one on top of a hill at the park? My husband wants to go out to eat tonight for his birthday, so we are doing that, but perhaps on Sunday we'll have a heavenly picnic.

It is traditional to have poultry on Ascension since Jesus "flew" to heaven. Lucky for us my husband has selected a wing joint for his birthday meal! Many people also make something light, white, and fluffy to represent clouds and heaven. That's where the cake comes in!

One of my husband's favorite desserts is this banana pudding thing with Nilla Wafers. His mom is from the South, and I guess its a Southern thing because I never heard of it until we met. Anyway, I found a cake version of that dessert on Pinterest and knew (mostly because he told me) that I had to make it for his birthday. The top is covered with fluffy whipped cream or whipped topping so it works well for Ascension too! I modified mine by adding a layer of banana slices between the cake and the topping.

This is a great cake to make with kids, there is so much that they can help with! Crushing cookies, mixing and pouring pudding, and even little ones can slice a banana with a plastic knife.




Banana Pudding Poke Cake

1 box yellow cake mix (plus ingredients to make cake)
2 boxes instant banana pudding (plus ingredients to make pudding)
1 container whipped topping
bananas
vanilla wafer cookies

1. Bake cake according to directions on the box in a 9x13 cake pan

2. Prepare banana pudding

3. Poke holes all over the cooled cake with the handle of a mixing spoon (hence the "poke" part of poke cake.)

4. Pour banana pudding over the cake.

5. Add a layer of banana slices over the top of the cake.

6. Add a layer of whipped topping on top of the bananas

7. Crush the vanilla wafers and sprinkle on top of the cake


 Check out the Catholic Blogger's Network link up blitz for May!
 http://www.catholicbloggersnetwork.com/p/link-up-blitz.html