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Salty Pretzel Banana Pudding Ice Cream Cake

Salty pretzel banana pudding ice cream cake with a caramelized salty pretzel and vanilla wafer crust, creamy banana pudding ice cream, and sliced bananas. Bake a quick crust, fold in thickened banana pudding, then freeze until firm for clean, sliceable layers.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
freezing 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crust
  • 1.5 cup mini pretzels Crushed for a sandy, pressable crust.
  • 1.5 cup Nilla wafers Crushed to match the pretzel texture.
  • 6 tbsp butter Melted and used to bind the crust.
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar Adds caramelized, salty-sweet flavor to the crust.
Banana pudding ice cream layer
  • 0.5 gal vanilla or banana ice cream Softened so it folds smoothly with pudding.
  • 1 box (3.4 oz) instant banana pudding mix Whisk with milk until thickened.
  • 1 cup whole milk Used to thicken the instant banana pudding.
  • 2 bananas Ripe bananas, sliced for layering.
Topping
  • 2 cup whipped topping Kept cold for a thick, pipeable layer if desired.
  • 1 whole pretzels For decorative topping.
  • 1 Nilla wafers For decorative topping.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make and bake the pretzel- wafer crust
  1. Combine the crushed mini pretzels, crushed Nilla wafers, melted butter, and brown sugar, then stir until evenly moistened. Press the mixture firmly into a 9x13 pan to form an even base.
  2. Bake at 350F for 8 minutes until lightly set and fragrant, then cool completely. Leave the crust to cool fully so the next layer doesn’t melt.
Mix banana pudding into softened ice cream
  1. Whisk the instant banana pudding mix with whole milk until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stop when the mixture holds a ribbon-like thickness.
  2. Fold the thickened banana pudding into the softened vanilla or banana ice cream until no pudding streaks remain. Use gentle folding so the ice cream stays airy.
Layer and freeze
  1. Spread the banana pudding ice cream over the cooled crust in an even layer, then arrange sliced bananas on top. Press bananas lightly so they adhere to the ice cream surface.
  2. Freeze for 4 hours until firm. Check readiness by gently touching the edge— it should not indent.
Top and finalize for slicing
  1. Spread whipped topping over the frozen cake, then press whole pretzels and Nilla wafers decoratively into the cream. Add the decorations while the topping is still slightly tacky.
  2. Freeze for 2 more hours before slicing. Keep frozen until serving for the cleanest cuts.

Notes

Pro tip: cool the baked crust completely before adding the ice cream layer so the base stays crisp instead of soft. Store covered in the freezer up to 3 months (best within 1 month for texture); thaw in the fridge for 10–15 minutes for easier slicing. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat whipped topping and a no-sugar-added vanilla ice cream if you want a lower-sugar dessert.