No-Bake Banana Split Cake

I make this banana split cake when I want all the flavors of a banana split without pulling out an ice cream scoop. It is a cold, no-bake layered dessert with a buttery graham cracker crust, a soft cream cheese layer, sliced bananas, crushed pineapple, and a cloud of whipped topping with a cherry on top. Every bite is cool and creamy with a little fruit in every forkful, and it slices into neat squares that hold their shape on the plate.

My aunt used to make this every summer for family parties, and it always disappeared before anything else on the table. I have made it for my kids’ end of the school year parties more times than I can count, and people want the recipe before they are even done with their slice. The texture lands somewhere between a creamy cheesecake and a cold, fruity sundae, and that is exactly what makes it so hard to stop at one piece.

Here is why I trust this version. The middle layer is what most recipes get wrong, and mine is a soft cream cheese filling instead of a stiff buttercream. That is the difference between a cake that slices into clean squares and one that slides apart on the plate.

If you love an easy no-bake dessert, you will also want my banana icebox cake and my cherry yum yum for your next get-together. You will find plenty more in my whole collection of no-bake desserts.

Key Ingredients

Here are the layers that matter most. The full amounts are in the recipe card below.

Cream cheese: This is the base of the soft middle layer. Use full-fat block cream cheese, not the spreadable kind in a tub, and let it come fully to room temperature before you beat it. Cold cream cheese never smooths out and you end up with lumps in the layer.

Butter: The butter does two jobs here. Melted, it binds the graham cracker crust so it holds together when you cut it. Softened, it beats into the cream cheese for the filling. Pull it out ahead of time so it is soft, not cold and not melted.

Crushed pineapple: Drain it well. This is the step that keeps the cake from turning watery. I press the pineapple in a strainer to get the extra juice out before it goes on, and I save a little of that juice for the bananas.

Bananas: Use ripe but firm bananas. Very soft, spotty bananas turn to mush between the layers. Slice them right before they go in so they stay fresh and pretty.

Graham cracker crumbs: The crust is only crumbs and melted butter pressed into the pan, no baking. If your crackers are not pre-crushed, put them in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin or pulse them in a food processor.

How to Make Banana Split Cake

Step 1: Make the crust. Melt 1/2 cup of butter and stir it into 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs until evenly moistened. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan.

Step 2: Beat the filling. Beat the softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup softened butter together for about 2 minutes until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla and beat another 3 to 4 minutes until soft and creamy. Both the cream cheese and butter need to be at room temperature here or the filling will be lumpy.

Step 3: Spread and chill. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the crust. Put the pan in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. This short chill firms up the layer so the fruit sits on top neatly instead of sinking through.

Step 4: Add the pineapple and bananas. Spread the well-drained crushed pineapple over the chilled filling. Slice the bananas and arrange them in an even layer over the pineapple. Dipping the banana slices in a little reserved pineapple juice first helps slow the browning.

Step 5: Top it off. Spread the whipped topping over the bananas in an even layer, then sprinkle with the chopped pecans. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight so everything sets completely.

Step 6: Garnish and serve. Right before serving, add the maraschino cherries, one over each square so everyone gets a cherry. Cut into 12 squares and serve cold.

Storing Leftovers

Cover the cake tightly and keep it in the fridge. It is best within the first couple of days. After about 3 to 4 days the bananas start to brown and the pineapple juices loosen the layers, so this is not a cake I keep for a week.

I do not recommend freezing it. The whipped topping and bananas do not thaw well, and you lose the clean layers that make it worth making.

More No-Bake Desserts You May Enjoy

• Banana Split Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
• Banana Split Fluff
• Chocolate Eclair Cake
• Woolworth Cheesecake