Layered Banana Split Dessert with Baked Cake Base – Perfect for Parties and Potlucks
This Banana Split Cake with a soft baked base is an easy dessert that’s always a hit for parties, potlucks, and summer get-togethers. It’s layered with bananas, pineapple, creamy filling, whipped topping, chocolate, and cherries for all the classic banana split flavors in one simple dessert. It’s cool, creamy, easy to slice, and great for making ahead.
If you want a no-bake version with the same classic banana split flavors, this creamy Banana Split Fluff Salad is an easy dessert to try next.
How to Make Banana Split Cake
Here are the ingredients you need to make this Banana Split Dessert with baked cake base, plus step by step instructions for how to make it.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 13.25 oz yellow cake mix
- 1 cup pineapple juice (from can of crushed pineapple in topping ingredients below)
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
For the Topping
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3.5 oz box instant cheesecake pudding
- 5.1 oz box instant banana cream pudding
- 2 cups milk
- 4 bananas, sliced
- 20 oz can crushed pineapple, well drained with juice set aside for cake ingredients above
- 16 oz container whipped topping, thawed
- 16 oz jar maraschino cherries
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts
- 2 tbsp chocolate syrup
Step by Step Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking dish.
2. Drain the crushed pineapple, making sure to save the juice. Add the reserved pineapple juice to a large mixing bowl along with the cake mix, eggs, and oil. Beat everything together for a few minutes until the batter is smooth and fully combined.
3. Pour the batter into the baking dish and spread it evenly. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely for about 1 hour before adding the toppings.
4. Add the softened cream cheese to a large bowl and beat until smooth and creamy with no lumps remaining.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk the pudding mixes and milk together until smooth. Slowly mix the pudding into the cream cheese and continue beating until combined and creamy.
6. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cooled cake.
7. Slice the bananas and arrange them in an even layer across the top of the filling.
8. Spoon the drained crushed pineapple over the bananas and gently spread it out. Top with the whipped topping and spread it over the entire surface.
9. Place the cake in the refrigerator to chill for a bit before adding the final toppings.
10. Top with cherries and chopped nuts, then drizzle chocolate sauce over the entire cake.
11. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving so the layers can fully chill and set.
Note
This recipe can serve anywhere from 12 to 16 people depending on portion size.
If you need a dessert that feeds a crowd without a lot of work, this Banana Split Cake is a good one to keep around. The mix of fruit, creamy layers, and soft cake base makes it simple but satisfying. Serve it chilled for birthdays, BBQs, holidays, or busy weekends when you want something easy that everyone will want seconds of.
More Fruity Desserts
- Mini Strawberry Pies
- Strawberry Shortcake Pie Bites
- Strawberry Blueberry Pretzel Salad
- Strawberry Fluff Salad
- Pineapple Lemon Fluff Salad
- Berry Cheesecake Fluff Salad
Banana Split Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 13.25 oz yellow cake mix
- 1 cup pineapple juice (from can of crushed pineapple in topping ingredients below)
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
For the Topping
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 3.5 oz box instant cheesecake pudding
- 5.1 oz box instant banana cream pudding
- 2 cups milk
- 4 bananas, sliced
- 20 oz can crushed pineapple, well drained with juice set aside for cake ingredients above
- 16 oz container whipped topping, thawed
- 16 oz jar maraschino cherries
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts
- 2 tbsp chocolate syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking dish.
- Drain the crushed pineapple, making sure to save the juice. Add the reserved pineapple juice to a large mixing bowl along with the cake mix, eggs, and oil. Beat everything together for a few minutes until the batter is smooth and fully combined.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish and spread it evenly. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely for about 1 hour before adding the toppings.
- Add the softened cream cheese to a large bowl and beat until smooth and creamy with no lumps remaining.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the pudding mixes and milk together until smooth. Slowly mix the pudding into the cream cheese and continue beating until combined and creamy.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cooled cake.
- Slice the bananas and arrange them in an even layer across the top of the filling.
- Spoon the drained crushed pineapple over the bananas and gently spread it out. Top with the whipped topping and spread it over the entire surface.
- Place the cake in the refrigerator to chill for a bit before adding the final toppings.
- Top with cherries and chopped nuts, then drizzle chocolate sauce over the entire cake.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving so the layers can fully chill and set.
