Banana Split Cake {No Bake}
Banana Split Cake is a no bake dessert that combines the flavors of bananas, pineapple and cherries. Many recipes contain raw eggs, but I provide several alternative options that eliminate the risk of food borne illness. This recipe can be made nut free or gluten free if desired.
Banana Split Cake has been a regular in my family for many years. My dad often chose this as his birthday cake when I was young. Due to my nut allergy, I never tried this cake until I was an adult and my mom made a portion of the cake without nuts on top. I had definitely been missing out!
This cake starts out with a no bake graham cracker crust. You can certainly bake it a bit to get a toasty flavor, but I don’t bother with this step. The next layer is a creamy mixture made with butter, powdered sugar and raw eggs. Yes, you read that correctly. Raw eggs. I suppose in the past, people didn’t bat an eye at using raw eggs, but today most people avoid doing that, especially when making a dish that will be shared with others. I did not want to take the risk of using the raw eggs with my kids and other adults, so I provide a number of options for making this dessert without raw eggs.
My husband and girls love this dessert! I most recently served it for Memorial Day weekend, but it is good any time of year. Because it’s no bake, it is perfect for summer months when the thought of turning on the oven makes you cringe!
Recipe Details
Graham Cracker Crust
This graham cracker crust is no bake. Crushed graham crackers are mixed with melted butter and pressed into the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan. If you prefer your graham crackers to have a toasty flavor, you can bake the crust at 325°F for about 15 minutes until fragrant, just like with the crust of Ambrosia Pie.
Creamy Filling
The original recipe for the creamy filling calls for raw eggs. If you are comfortable consuming raw eggs, you may use those. I recommend using pasteurized eggs to eliminate the risk of food borne illness.
If you cannot find pasteurized eggs in your grocery store, you may 1) eliminate the eggs in the recipe, 2) use a half batch of Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream, 3) use a double batch of Easy Vanilla Buttercream, or 4) use the cream cheese layer from Strawberry Pretzel Jello Salad.
The creamy filling is carefully spread over the graham cracker layer. I recommend scattering dollops of filling over the crust and using a small offset spatula to carefully smooth this layer over the crust.
What can you do with extra buttercream? Try using it to decorate a Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake or Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars!
Fruit Layers
Large ripe bananas are sliced and arranged in a single layer on top of the creamy layer. Then, canned crushed pineapple that has been well drained is evenly sprinkled over the bananas.
Whipped Topping Layer
The top layer is whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, that is spread all the way to edges of the pan to seal in the fruit. This step is important to prevent the bananas from coming in contact with air and browning.
You can see in this side view that the whipped topping has sealed the fruit.
Cherry and Nut Topping
In my family, we usually put one cherry per slice of cake. So if we were going to be cutting the dessert into 20 squares, we would space the cherries accordingly. Then, we sprinkle the chopped nuts on top.
The original recipes calls for chopped pecans. I borrowed some candied pecans from my mom and had her chop them for me to reduce my exposure to nut dust. This ended up being a great choice for the topping, according to my family members who ate the nut topping!
Gluten Free Banana Split Cake
Use gluten free honey graham crackers in the crust for an entirely gluten free dessert!
Looking for More Pineapple or Banana Recipes?
Daniel Tiger’s Banana Swirl
Ultimate Banana Bread
Double Chocolate Banana Bread
Chocolate Banana Bread Muffins
Pina Colada Mini Cheesecakes
Pineapple Carrot Bread
Pineapple Carrot Cupcakes
Huli Huli Hawaiian Chicken
Looking for More No Bake Desserts?
Oyster Shell Cookies
Chocolate Cheesecakes for Two
Dairy Queen Copycat Ice Cream Cake
Oreo Shamrock Shakes
Cinnamon Ice Cream
French Vanilla Ice Cream
Mint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
Homemade Ben & Jerry’s Hot Fudge Sauce
Raspberry Sorbet
Banana Split Cake {No Bake}
Equipment
- 9×13-inch pan
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 2 stacks)
- 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
For the Creamy Filling:
- 16 tablespoons butter (2 sticks)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs (pasteurized, see note)
For the Layers:
- 4 large bananas (sliced)
- 20 ounces canned crushed pineapple (drained)
- 9 ounces whipped topping (thawed)
- 1/2 cup maraschino cherries
- 3/4 cups chopped pecans (toasted or candied, optional)
Instructions
Make the Crust:
- Mix together graham cracker crumbs and 1 stick of melted butter. Spread evenly into 9×13-inch pan.
Make the Creamy Filling:
- Beat 2 sticks of softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and 2 eggs at high speed for 12-15 minutes. Spread egg mixture over crumbs.
Add Remaining Layers:
- Layer sliced bananas over egg mixture. Evenly distribute pineapple over bananas. Top all with a layer of whipped topping, making sure to spread it all the way to the edges of the pan to seal the fruit below. Garnish with cherries and nuts, if using. Chill 8-24 hours before serving.
Love this dessert!