This banana split cake is a layered cake that resembles a banana split! This banana cake loaded with cinnamon. The filling is whipped cream cheese with sprinkles. . It is coated in strawberry cream cheese frosting with a chocolate drip. To make this really like a banana split, you have to top it with cherries!
Banana Split In A Cake
I wanted to make this cake that tastes like a banana split in cake form.
The banana cake takes like a fluffy banana bread. In the middle is whipped cream cheese. This is the ice cream part of the banana split. There is sprinkles and mini chocolate chips to add some texture!
Most banana splits have strawberry or pineapple. Which is why this cake has a strawberry frosting. Then, there is a chocolate drip. Just like the fudge of banana split.
This cake is SO good! It is hard to eat just one bite!
How To Make Banana Cake
- Use ripe bananas- Use three ripe bananas. Use bananas with brown spots to get the best banana flavor.
- Mix dry ingredients- Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Sift the flour to prevent any flour lumps.
- Beat the butter- First, beat the butter and sugars together. Beat until it is super light and fluffy. This helps give the cake a lighter texture.
- Mix in wet ingredients- Add in the mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla, and eggs. Add the eggs one a time to make it blends together evenly.
- Alternate dry ingredients and buttermilk- Switch between there two until you end with dry ingredients. This will help make sure it is all mixed in.
Baking The Cake Layers
I used three 8 inch cake pans. It made thick banana cake layers. Spray the cakes well with baking spray and place a parchment circle on the bottom of the pan.
Bake the cake for about 25 minutes. The cake is done cooking with a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Then, let the cakes sit in the cake pan for 10 minutes for the cake to shrink from the edges of the pan. Before decorating, the cakes needs to be cooled.
Whipped Cream Cheese Filling
This is my favorite part about this cake. It is cream cheese glaze with whipped cream folded in. Pure magic!
Important note is the whipped cream cheese needs to be super cold before placing in the cake layers. Otherwise it will melt out the sides of the cake. You can just do whipped cream cheese for both layers and not the chocolate. However, the chocolate makes it fun.
Add the sprinkles and mini chocolate chips for extra texture in this cake!
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
This strawberry frosting is packed with strawberry flavor! It uses freeze dried strawberries. I found these on Amazon, Target, or Whole Foods. Measure the strawberries before grounding. Then, place with the sifted powdered sugar.
Now, there is a lot of powdered sugar, but this is necessary. Since there is cream cheese, there needs to be a lot of powdered sugar to have a thick enough frosting to work with. Some cream cheese frosting are like soup!
Once you mix in the heavy cream, beat on high to get a fluffy frosting.
Assembling The Cake
Now, don't be intimidated by these layers! It takes a bit to assemble and fully decorate. However, all your friends will be impressed with all the flavors!
First, place a small amount of frosting on the board you are decorating on. This will keep the cake still while you decorate.
Pipe a double layer border around the edge of the cake. This will be the border to help prevent the fillings from spilling out. Now, the fillings need to be super cold. Which is why the fillings need to freeze to help solidify a bit. I used ¾ths of the filling in each layer.
Next, coat the cake in a light layer of frosting. To prevent crumbs from getting into the frosting, freeze the cake for 15 minutes will seal in all the crumbs.
Frosting The Cake
There is enough frosting to thickly frost the cake. I chose to do a semi-naked look since this cake has a lot going on. Semi-naked look is scraping the cake to have peeps of the cake poking through.
Once the cake is frosted, pour the chocolate ganache on top. Use an offset spatula to push the chocolate over the edge of the cake. This will create the drips like mine!
Decorating the top of the cake is optional. I do recommend adding extra sprinkles and cherries to the top of the cake for banana split vibes.
FAQ
You can make the cake layers ahead of time. Once the cake is baked and cooled, wrap in cling wrap and store in the freezer. Only keep them in the freezer for a week.
Pull the cake out 1 hour ahead of time.
Yes it can. It will make 24 cupcakes. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Then, fill with the whipped cream cheese and top with strawberry frosting and a cherry!
If it is too runny, keep it in the freezer a little longer. If that doesn't work, fold in an extra ½ cup of sifted powdered sugar to stiffen.
Storing And Freezing
Since this banana split cake has whipped cream cheese it will be chilled in the fridge. Store in an air tight container up to 5 days.
Freezing The Cake
To freeze the cake, cut into slices and wrap each slice individually in cling wrap. Keep frozen up to 30 days. Pull the cake slice out 1 hour before eating.
Other Cake Recipes To Try
Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats and leave me a review below if you made this cake. I hope you loved it! To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.
Banana Split Cake
Ingredients
Banana Cake
- 3 ½ cups All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp Salt
- ¾ cup Unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup Brown sugar light or dark packed
- ½ cup White granulated sugar
- 3 Ripe bananas mashed
- ½ cup Sour cream room temperature
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 3 Large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup Buttermilk room temperature
Whipped Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup Powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 1 TBSP Milk
- 1 cup Heavy cream cold
- ⅛ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup Rainbow sprinkles
- ⅓ cup Mini chocolate chips
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 ½ cups Unsalted butter slightly cold
- 8 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- 9 cups Powdered sugar sifted
- ½ cup Ground freeze dried strawberries measured and then ground
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup Heavy cream
Chocolate Drip
- 1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup Heavy cream
- Maraschino cherries for decoration
Instructions
Banana Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray three 8 inch cake pans with baking non-stick spray. Place a 8 inch parchment paper circles on the bottom. Spray again.
- In a mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Using a mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Beat on high for 3 minutes. It will be light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl. Add the mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix until combined
- Add in the eggs one at a time. Mix until combined.
- Add in ⅓rd of the dry ingredients and half of the buttermilk. Mix until starting to combine. Add another ⅓rd of the dry ingredients and the rest of the buttermilk. Mix. Add the rest of the dry ingredients. Scrape the bowl and mix for another 10 seconds.
- Divide the batter into the three pans by using a scale. Bake for 24-28 minutes. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out cool. Let the cakes sit for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely.
Whipped Cream Cheese Filling
- Freeze a metal bowl and whisk attachment for 10 minutes.
- Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese for 1 minute on high. Add in the sifted powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Switch to high and beat until smooth.
- Add in vanilla. Mix until smooth. Separate in half in two separate bowls.
- Use the cold bowl and cold whisk attachment and beat heavy cream on high until stiff peaks form.
- In one bowl, add in the cocoa powder and the milk. Beat until smooth. Take the whipped cream and split in half between the two bowls. Gently fold in the whipped cream in each bowl. Fold until everything is combined.
- Place in the freezer for 30 minutes. And then place in the fridge while you make the frosting. Fold in the sprinkles into the white whipped cream cheese and the chocolate chips into the chocolate right before using.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place butter on the counter for 30 minutes to get slightly cold. Sift the powdered sugar while you wait. Ground up the freeze dried strawberries and place with the powdered sugar.
- Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese on high for 1 minute. Add in the butter and beat for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and no butter chunks remain.
- Slowly add in the powdered sugar/strawberries. Mix until combined. It will be very thick. Add in the vanilla, salt, and heavy cream. Mix on low until starting to combine. Switch to high and beat for 2-3 minutes.
Chocolate Drip
- Make this right before you need it. Pour chocolate chips into a bowl. Heat heavy cream with a saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat until hot and steaming. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips.
- Let it sit for 1 minute 30 seconds. Use a rubber spatula and stir until smooth. If any chocolate chunks remain, heat in the microwave for 10 seconds until melted.
Assembly
- Place a small amount of frosting on the board you are decorating on. This will be the glue. Place the first layer down bottom side up.
- Pipe a double layer border around the edge of the cake. Place the 1st filling (doesn't matter which one goes first) and spread on the cake. Repeat with the second layer. Place on the last layer.
- Apply a very light layer of frosting over the cake. It should be very thin you can see a lot of the cake poking through. This is the crumb coat layer. Freeze for 15 minutes. Frost the rest of the cake. For a semi-naked there should be cake poking through.
- Pour chocolate over the cake. Use an offset spatula to spread chocolate over the edge for it to drip down. Freeze for 10 minutes. Before decorating the rest of the cake.
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