Banana Split Cake Recipe

Southern Style Banana Split Cake is an easy no-bake dessert layered with creamy filling, bananas, pineapple, whipped topping, and cherries on a buttery crust. A nostalgic crowd-pleaser perfect for holidays, potlucks, and family gatherings.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword banana-split-cake-recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Chill Time 4

Total Time 4 40

Servings servings

Calories 429kcal

Ingredients

Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts divided use
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup salted butter melted
Filling:
1 lb cream cheese softened
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 8 oz frozen whipped topping i.e. Cool Whip thawed
Fruit and Toppings:
16 oz fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
4 small bananas sliced
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple well drained reserve 1/4 cup juice
1 16 oz container frozen whipped topping i.e. Cool whip thawed
1/2-1 cup fudge ice cream topping
15 maraschino cherries with stems one for each piece

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spritz the bottom only of a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Toast Pecans: Spread 1/2 cup chopped pecans in a single layer on a sheet pan and toast for 6-8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Crust: In a medium mixing bowl mix together the graham cracker crumbs, remaining 1/2 cup chopped pecans, granulated sugar and melted butter. Press firmly onto the bottom of the baking dish. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown and set. Cool completely.
Cream Cheese Layer: Use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to whip together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, pineapple juice and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Whip for 2 minutes until fluffy and evenly combined. By hand fold in one 8 ounce whipped topping. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the crust.
Arrange a layer of strawberry slices over the cream cheese layer. Toss bananas with lemon juice, then arrange a layer of bananas over the strawberries.
Cover bananas with crushed pineapple.
Cover and frost completely with reserved whipped topping. (To prevent air from getting to the bananas and turning them brown.)
Drizzle the top with hot fudge and sprinkle the top with reserved 1/2 cup pecans. Chill for at least 4 hours.
Use a jumbo open star tip to decorate each piece with a dollop of whipped topping and a single cherry, then slice and serve.

Notes

Nuts - You can use chopped walnuts or chopped pecans for the crust.
Graham Crackers - You can use crushed Nilla wafers in place of graham cracker crumbs for the graham cracker crust.
Cream Cheese - You can use Neufchatel cream cheese in place of full fat cream cheese.

Nutrition