This no-bake Banana Split Cake has your name written all over it!
Some years ago, in a corner conference room adorned with college banners and inspirational posters, where everything from parent meetings to student mediations to annual celebrations took place, I was treated to my first Banana Split Cake.
This space, which sat kitty-corner to my office, was the setting for important school related happenings. Study groups…department meetings…annual reviews…birthday parties…you name it…
As part of the counseling team, my agenda was filled with events and small group activities that took place in this space. One such event that occurred a few times each year, was the birthday party we would take turns planning for each member of the department. I clearly recall the celebration that included this amazing cake.
You know the expression, It’s a keeper…?
This recipe proves that statement true.
Walk with me…
There it was, at the bottom of a small drawer filled with a hodgepodge of items collected through the years…half-packs of birthday candles, cocktail napkins which ask the question, ‘Why limit happy to just one hour?’, paper straws the color of balloons, and recipes on torn pieces of paper in a scrawl that only I can read. As I chipped away at organizing the drawer (in the name of spring cleaning), there it was – the email from Kathleen with the recipe from September 2011 that I so loved but had forgotten all about until this moment.
Five years later and I still had it…‘keeper‘…
And such a timely moment to make this discovery…
Today is Lucy’s 26th birthday! Wooohoooo!
I’d love to tell you that we’re sharing this cake tonight, however, our girl is celebrating with her sister on the west coast…in the sunshine (yay!!)…which means one thing…FaceTime… and I eat two pieces…mine…and hers…
I’ll do anything for my kids.
Buon Appetito!
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Banana Split Cake
- Category: Dessert
Description
This no-bake Banana Split Cake has your name written all over it!
Ingredients
- 2 (8 oz. pkgs.) cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 1 – 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, completely drained
- 6 – 8 medium sliced bananas, divided
- 2 cups cold milk
- 2 pkgs. (4 serving size) vanilla flavor instant pudding & pie filling
- 2 1/2 cups thawed cool whipped topping, divided
- 1 cup chopped peanuts
- Chocolate sauce
- Maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Remove cream cheese from the refrigerator to soften. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup of sugar and the butter.
- Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of a 13×9-inch pan. Freeze for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, beat softened cream cheese and remaining 3/4 cup sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
- Spread cream cheese carefully over (frozen) crust. Freeze for 10 minutes.
- Top with pineapple.
- Slice 4 bananas and arrange over pineapple. Freeze for 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, pour milk and the two boxes of dry pudding mix. Beat with whisk for about 2 minutes, or until blended.
- Gently stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping.
- Spread mixture over banana layer.
- Top with remaining 1 1/2 cups whipped topping.
- Refrigerate for 5 hours.
- When ready to serve, add more slices of banana.
- Sprinkle with nuts, a drizzle of chocolate sauce and cherries.
- Store leftover cake in the refrigerator.
(I did a little investigating and it appears the recipe originated from Kraft. I adapted it to meet my needs for chocolate and peanuts and cherries…I’m sure you understand…)
Have a great weekend, my friends!! XO
CIAO!
YESSSS!!!!!!! Need. Now.
Soooo good! 🙂
You always need a ‘keeper’ of a dessert big enough to feed a crowd, too bad your daughter missed out on her piece!
You really do need a ‘keeper’ and this is it! I’m sorry she missed it too! Thankfully we’ll be together in a couple weeks! 🙂
this is a beautiful dessert Annie, now I am craving for a huge slice!
That is easy to do! Thanks, my friend! 🙂
I’ve never had this cake before but I’m liking it a lot!! Yummy! Hope your daughter had a wonderful birthday 🙂
Thanks, Karrie! Have a great day! 🙂
That’s very brave of you to take one for your daughter Annie 🙂
This sounds wonderful, the photos made me want it now. I think if I were to make this (got a party to hit up this weekend) I might have to have chocolate pudding. That’s how I roll. Thanks!
Hahaha! I dig the way you roll, Kevin! Thank you, friend! 🙂
Happy 26th Birthday, Lucy! How lucky she is to have a mom who will make this delicious banana split cake for her… and eat her piece over FaceTime. Hehehe. 😉 I do love these keeper recipes! Also, seeing you assemble the layers through each meticulous and droolworthy photo… well, let’s just say it’s gonna be tough to eat my bowl of oatmeal here. Got any of this cake left? Thanks for making happy last more than one hour, Annie. Happy Monday! Have a great week. Pinning this!
The things we moms will do! 😉 I’d like to tell you there’s cake left…just means I need to make another! Thank you, my dear!! Enjoy your oatmeal! 🙂