Banana Split Cake is an incredible cake with banana split flavor in every bite! Moist banana nut cake layered with all the incredible toppings of a traditional banana split. YUM!
A Jaw Dropping Banana Split Cake
This Banana Split Cake is an absolute jaw dropper! Between each layer of moist banana nut cake are strawberries, more banana, pineapple, fudge, and more nuts. It’s all surrounded in an incredibly light and fluffy whipped frosting overflowing with gooey fudge and garnished with fresh whipped cream and cherries. It’s a showstopper that nobody can resist!
The Perfect Cake for Celebrating
I love birthdays and I think everyone deserves an incredible cake on their birthday! I wanted my mom’s birthday cake to be as special and amazing as she is! She loves a good banana split so I had been thinking for months how I could incorporate all the delicious flavors of a banana split into an incredible cake. I think I knocked it out of the park!
I had so much fun making this cake! Watching it all come together just made me giddy inside. It’s layer after layer of banana split goodness. With a cherry on top!
Banana Split Cake Ingredients
(see recipe card for measurements and details)
Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour
- Banana cream instant pudding mix (this can be substituted with vanilla instant pudding mix if necessary)
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Softened unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Milk
- Mashed ripe bananas
- Chopped peanuts
Whipped Frosting:
- Vanilla instant pudding mix
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
- Frozen whipped topping, thawed (such as Cool Whip)
Toppings:
- Sliced strawberries
- Sliced banana
- Pineapple pieces (well-drained crushed pineapple would also work)
- Hot fudge topping (It’s best to use a new jar of fudge topping that is at room temperature. If your fudge topping has been refrigerated, bring it to room temperature before using so you can drizzle it.)
- Chopped peanuts (or chopped pecans)
- Whipped topping
- Maraschino cherries (with or without stems)
Supplies:
How to Make a Banana Split Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, dry pudding mix, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- Gradually beat in the flour mixture, alternating with the milk until smooth. Stir in the mashed bananas and chopped peanuts.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans about 30 minutes then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
- To make the whipped frosting, whisk together the pudding mix, milk and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.
- Whisk in the powdered sugar until well combined.
- Fold in the whipped topping until no streaks remain.
- Cut each cooled cake in half lengthwise. Place one half, cut side up, on a cake stand. Spread a thin layer of frosting over cake.
- Cover with sliced strawberries. Use a small spoon to drizzle with a few tablespoons of the fudge topping. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of the chopped peanuts.
- Place the other half of the first cake, cut side up, on top of the strawberry layer. Spread a thin layer of frosting over the cake. Cover with layer of banana slices. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of the fudge topping. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of the chopped peanuts.
- Place the bottom half of the other cake, cut side up, on top of the layer of bananas. Spread with a thin layer of frosting. Cover with pineapple pieces. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of the fudge topping. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of the chopped peanuts.
- Place final cake half, cut side down, on top of pineapple layer. Spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake.
- Refrigerate the frosted cake for at least 1 hour or until ready to serve so the cake layers can all set and hold up well when slicing and serving.
- When ready to serve, remove the cake from refrigerator. Slowly pour remaining fudge topping over the top of the cake, starting in the center and moving outward in circles. Sit back and watch as the fudge flows down the sides of the cake. If it doesn’t start flowing on it’s own all around the cake, use a spatula to smooth the center, pushing the fudge outward.
- Sprinkle with the remaining chopped peanuts.
- Decorate the top of the cake with dollops of whipped topping and cherries.
How to Store Leftover Banana Split Cake
Store leftover banana split cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze leftover cake, slice the cake into individual portions and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes to flash freeze. Remove from the freezer and wrap each slice in plastic wrap before placing in a freezer-safe container or plastic bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, let each slice defrost in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight.
If you make this Banana Split Cake, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. 
I love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the recipes I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
Cakes for Celebrating
From a simple cake for a kid’s party to something a little fancier to wow the crowd, look no further than my Cakes Made for Celebrating! Sheet cakes, layer cakes, ice cream cakes, and more. There’s something for every taste and every occasion!
Banana Split Cake Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cooling/Chilling Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 3 hour 10 mins
- Yield: 12
- Category: Dessert
Description
This incredible cake has banana split bliss in every bite! Moist banana nut cake is layered with all the incredible toppings of a traditional banana split.
Ingredients
Banana Nut Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 (3.4 ounce) package banana cream instant pudding mix
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 and 1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large)
- 3/4 cup chopped peanuts
Whipped Frosting:
- 1 (3.4 ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 (16 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed (such as Cool Whip)
Toppings:
- 1 cup sliced strawberries
- 1 large banana, sliced
- 1 cup canned pineapple pieces, well drained
- 1 and 1/2 cups hot fudge topping, room temperature, divided
- 1 cup chopped peanuts, divided
- Whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), for decorating
- Maraschino cherries, for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, dry pudding mix, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in the flour mixture alternating with the milk until smooth. Stir in the mashed bananas and chopped peanuts.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans about 30 minutes then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
- To make the whipped frosting, whisk together the pudding mix, milk and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in the powdered sugar until well combined. Fold in the whipped topping until no streaks remain.
- Cut each cooled cake in half lengthwise. Place one half, cut side up, on a cake stand. Spread a thin layer of frosting over cake. Cover with sliced strawberries. Use a small spoon to drizzle with a few tablespoons of the fudge topping. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of the chopped peanuts.
- Place the other half of the first cake, cut side up, on top of the strawberry layer. Spread a thin layer of frosting over the cake. Cover with sliced bananas. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of the fudge topping. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of the chopped peanuts.
- Place the bottom half of the other cake, cut side up, on top of the banana layer. Spread with a thin layer of frosting. Cover with pineapple pieces. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of the fudge topping. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of the chopped peanuts.
- Place final cake half, cut side down, on top of pineapple layer. Spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake.
- Refrigerate the frosted cake for at least 1 hour or until ready to serve so the cake layers can all set and hold up well when slicing and serving.
- Remove cake from refrigerator. Slowly pour remaining fudge topping over the top of the cake, starting in the center and moving outward in circles. Sit back and watch as the fudge flows down the sides of the cake. If it doesn’t start flowing on its own all around the cake, use a spatula to smooth the center, pushing the fudge outward. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped peanuts.
- Decorate the top of the cake with dollops of whipped topping and cherries.
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
This cake is unbelievable! I made this cake for after dinner dessert one night and everyone loved it so much that were making it again for Easter dessert! It’s a bit costly to make but worth every penny!
I had this cake over 20 years ago, its nothing new but its great. I will try a variation on hers one day.