‘Old school favorite’: Just 3 ingredients. It’s impossible to mess up.

To keep things easy but still fun, you can tweak this 3-ingredient vanilla pudding cake a few different ways. For a fruity twist, layer sliced strawberries, bananas, or drained canned pineapple between the cooled cake and the pudding before chilling—this is especially nice in the summer and makes it feel like a light trifle. If you want a little crunch, sprinkle crushed vanilla wafers, graham crackers, or a handful of chopped nuts over the top of the pudding right before serving. You can also swap the vanilla pudding for another flavor, like cheesecake or banana cream, while keeping the vanilla cake base. For a slightly fancier look without extra work, spoon the chilled cake into small jars or cups for individual servings, layering cake chunks and pudding like parfaits. Time-saving tip: bake both pans the night before, then add the pudding in the morning or during a quick break—by dinnertime, dessert is ready to go with almost no hands-on work.