No Bake Banana Split Cake
This recipe for Banana Split Cake is so easy to make! It’s a fun chilled dessert that’s piled with toppings like sliced bananas, strawberries, whipped cream, cherries, and sprinkles! It takes just 20 minutes to prep before chilling in the fridge!
This Banana Split Cake Recipe is an easy-to-make chilled dessert that’s loaded with classic flavors! Great for birthday parties, holidays, and to cool down during the hot months!
While the vintage recipe version of this dessert is made with raw eggs, this one is not! Instead, it’s made with easy and convenient ingredients to allow for a quick yet delicious dessert that can be made in no time! So it’s a little different than the original banana split dessert but just as yummy!
Enjoying A Slice Of This No Bake Banana Split Cake!
Taste: This dessert has all the flavors of a banana split but with a twist! Instead of ice cream, you’ll find a sweet, cheesecake-like layer that sits on top of a graham cracker crust.
It’s then finished off with all the well-loved ice cream toppings like whipped cream, syrups, sprinkles, cherries, and nuts!
Texture: Typically, this dessert is very light, fluffy, and filled with whipped cream. However, I made this recipe with extra cream cheese to make a thicker, creamier cheesecake layer.
Therefore, this no-bake cake is smooth, creamy, and a little dense but is still fluffy!
Banana Split Cake Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- graham cracker crumbs
- salted butter
Filling
- cream cheese
- salted butter
- sour cream
- fresh squeezed lemon juice
- pure vanilla extract
- powdered sugar
- Cool Whip
Toppings
- bananas
- strawberries
- crushed pineapple
- Cool Whip
- Chocolate Syrup
- chopped peanuts
- Rainbow sprinkles
- Maraschino cherries
Four Delicious Layers!
This easy no-bake banana split cake recipe takes just 20 minutes to prep three delicious layers! Beginning with the crust that’s made with only three ingredients.
Topping the crust is a cheesecake-like layer that’s made with ingredients like Cool Whip, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and butter. When making this layer, it’s important that the butter and cream cheese are both softened to room temperature.
This way, the cheesecake-like layer comes out perfectly smooth and creamy without any lumps. Topping that sweet, creamy layer are the fun toppings!
All the classic banana split fruits like bananas, strawberries, and pineapple are found in the third layer of this dessert!
Then, the top layer of all the fun sauces and garnishes like Cool Whip, chocolate sauce, nuts, cherries, and sprinkles!
How To Make No Bake Banana Split Cake
Step 1: Graham Cracker Crumbs – Making the crust calls for about three sleeves of crushed graham crackers. Crushing them works best in a food processor or in a Ziploc bag using a rolling pin. Some stores even carry graham crackers crumbs that are already crushed!
Step 2: Cheesecake – This creamy cheesecake layer is made by beating together cream cheese, salted butter, sour cream, fresh squeezed lemon juice, pure vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and Cool Whip until smooth! Then, it’s spread out over the top of the crust.
Step 3: Fruit – When layering the fruit, I prefer to start with the bananas on the bottom. This is because they don’t seep as much, which slightly protects the cream cheese layer from the other fruits that do seep their juices.
Step 4: Cool Whip and Chill Before Enjoying – Spread the remaining thawed cool whip over the top of the fruit layer, then chill before enjoying. This allows the cream cheese layer to firm up and for all the flavors to meld together nicely before serving.
Step 5: Toppings Before Serving – Hold off on adding the rest of the toppings until just before serving, this will give the dessert the best appearance!
Tasty & Fun Variations To Try!
- Crust – This no-bake banana split cake can be made with an Oreo crust instead. A great choice for chocolate lovers!
- Fruit – Omit, swap out, or add in your favorite fruits! Fresh blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries would all be tasty additions to this recipe. Canned pineapples can even be replaced with canned peaches.
- Nuts – I love topping this no-bake cake with peanuts, but you can truly use any nut you like. Crushed walnuts, pistachios, and peanuts would all be great choices.
- Syrups – Add a drizzle of strawberry syrup, caramel syrup, or even butterscotch syrup!
- Homemade Whipped Topping – Cool whip is used in this recipe for ease and convenience. However, homemade whipped topping would add excellent flavoring to this dessert!
How To Store No Bake Banana Split Cake
Leftovers of this dessert can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Any longer, and the crust may start to get soggy.
Also, keep in mind that the fruit juices will start to seep out, mixing with the cream cheese layer. The no-bake cake will still be absolutely delicious if this happens, though!
Banana Split Cake FAQs
Yes, unsalted butter can be used instead of salted butter when making the crust. You just will want to add a 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the crust mixture.
The sour cream can be replaced with an equal amount of Greek yogurt.
Yes, this dessert can be made and frozen to enjoy later. If you make it to freeze, be sure to make this recipe in a freezer-safe pan. Once frozen, this cake can be stored in the freezer for up to one month.
More Banana Desserts
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Banana Split Cake
Equipment
- 9X13 baking pan
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or standing mixer
Ingredients
Crust
- 2½ cups graham cracker crumbs about 3 sleeves
- ¾ cup salted butter melted
Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup salted butter softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream OR Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 8 ounces Cool Whip thawed
Toppings
- 4 ripe bananas sliced
- 1 lb fresh strawberries sliced
- 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple drained
- 8 ounces Cool Whip thawed
- Chocolate Syrup
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts
- Rainbow sprinkles
- Maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Lightly grease the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside,
- If using whole graham crackers instead of prepackaged crumbs, place the crackers in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. You may have to do this in multiple batches. Transfer the crumbs to a medium mixing bowl.
- Add the melted ¾ cup salted butter to the 2½ cups graham cracker crumbs and mix with a rubber spatula until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
- Pour the graham cracker crust mixture into the prepared baking pan and press firmly to form an even layer of crust. You can use your fingers or the back of a measuring cup to get it nice and even. Then place in the refrigerator to chill as you prepare the cream cheese layer.
- In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together 16 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup salted butter, ¼ cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Gradually add the 1½ cups powdered sugar and beat until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Fold in 8 ounces Cool Whip (thawed) with a rubber spatula until fully incorporated. Spread it evenly over the prepared graham cracker crust.
- Place the sliced 4 ripe bananas evenly over the cream cheese layer. Add the sliced 1 lb fresh strawberries evenly over the bananas, and then add an even layer of the drained 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple
- Spread the remaining 8 ounces Cool Whip evenly over the top. Place the dish in the refrigerator to set for 4 to 6 hours or overnight.
- When ready to serve, drizzle the top all over with Chocolate Syrup. You can pipe some extra whipped cream on top if you desire. Then sprinkle it with ¼ cup chopped peanuts and Rainbow sprinkles. Top it all off with Maraschino cherries.
Notes
- How To Store: Leftovers of this dessert can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Any longer, and the crust may start to get soggy. Also, keep in mind that the fruit juices will start to seep out, mixing with the cream cheese layer. The no-bake cake will still be absolutely delicious if this happens, though!
- Is There A Good Substitution For Sour Cream In This Recipe? The sour cream can be replaced with an equal amount of Greek yogurt.
- Can This Be Frozen To Enjoy At A Later Time? Yes, this dessert can be made and frozen to enjoy later. If you make it to freeze, be sure to make this recipe in a freezer-safe pan. Once frozen, this cake can be stored in the freezer for up to one month.
- Tasty & Fun Variations To Try!
- Crust – This no-bake banana split cake can be made with an Oreo crust instead. A great choice for chocolate lovers!
- Fruit – Omit, swap out, or add in your favorite fruits! Fresh blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries would all be tasty additions to this recipe. Canned pineapples can even be replaced with canned peaches.
- Nuts – I love topping this no bake cake with peanuts, but you can truly use any nut you like. Crushed walnuts, pistachios, and peanuts would all be great choices.
- Syrups – Add a drizzle of strawberry syrup, caramel syrup, or even butterscotch syrup!
- Homemade Whipped Topping – Cool whip is used in this recipe for ease and convenience. However, homemade whipped topping would add excellent flavoring to this dessert!
Nutrition
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