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Banana Split Ice Cream Cake

Posted by in Step-by-Step Recipes

Today is a special day because we’re welcoming the brand new PW design. Our little corner here is getting its very own spot in the front page of The Pioneer Woman and if you haven’t been there yet today, check it out! There are tons of new features to play with, and it’s new and familiar at the same time. We thought it’d be be fun to celebrate all this forward movement by going retro here at the Tasty Kitchen Blog, and we’re absolutely thrilled to have our dear friend Alice of Savory Sweet Life help us usher in this new age of Aquarius. Or something like that.

 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

 
When it comes to ice cream sundaes, banana splits are the grand daddy of them all. This nostalgic ice cream dessert has been around since the early 1900s and its popularity over the years has never ceased. It is a timeless classic which I have adored since I was a small child and still do today. As the world quickly changes around us, banana splits remain the same today as they did over 100 years ago.

A traditional banana split is made of a banana vertically cut in half and lined on each side of a boat shaped serving bowl. A scoop of vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate ice cream is sandwiched between the two halves of the banana like three peas in a pod. Each scoop of ice cream is then topped off with its own sauce of hot fudge, strawberry, and crushed pineapple. Finally, the sundae is made complete with a crown of whipped cream, a sprinkling of chopped nuts, and a maraschino cherry on top. When I discovered Annalise’s recipe for a Banana Split Ice Cream Cake on Tasty Kitchen, I instantly knew I had to make it! It is the perfect marriage of all things banana split except in a ice cream cake version.

If you love ice cream sundaes, you are in for a fantastic treat. It’s a fun way to enjoy a classic banana split but served as an ice cream cake. This recipe is not difficult but does require time—but it’s so worth it! I’m convinced people who hate bananas (cough … Ree Drummond) will love this dessert. So let’s get started, shall we?

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

Here is a list of everything you’ll need to get started: Oreo cookies, butter, vanilla and strawberry ice creams, hot fudge sauce, frozen sweetened strawberries, crushed pineapple, and whipped cream. I also opted to add a few chopped almonds and maraschino cherries just for the heck of it. The recipe calls for a springform pan but doesn’t mention which size to use. I used an 8” and would suggest using a springform pan between 8”-10”. The smaller than pan, the taller the ice cream cake will be and vice versa.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

This recipe is all about layers and building on top of one another after the previous one has set. The first layer is the Oreo chocolate cookie crust.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

Place Oreo cookies in a food processor and pulse until they become fine crumbs resembling rich dark soil. If you don’t have a food processor, you can place the cookies in a Ziploc bag and achieve the same effect by using a rolling pin to crush the cookies.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

Add melted butter the food processor and pulse a few more times to make sure the butter is evenly distributed.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

Dump mixture into the springform pan. Using the back of a spatula or by using your fingers, press cookie crumb mixture down and firmly to form a uniformed crust on the bottom of the pan.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

The recipe calls for cutting four bananas in ½” thick slices but I found I only needed 2.5 bananas. I point this out only to let you know you may or may not need to use as many bananas the recipe calls for. Cut enough banana slices to cover the bottom of the pan in a single layer and then put the springform pan in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

A note to banana haters (you know who you are): If you dislike bananas because of their texture, the banana slices in this recipe become frozen. This changes the texture from mushy to a frozen piece of fruit that’s more like hard banana ice cream. This may be the recipe which converts your disdain to love. Just saying.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

Scoop slightly softened ice cream on top of the banana layer until it is completely covered. Smooth and press down the ice cream layer by using a spatula dipped in hot water. Place cake pan in the freezer for 2 hours.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

Note: Although the photo above shows a 1.5 gallon of strawberry ice cream, the recipe actually calls for only a pint. I bought the bigger size because it was actually cheaper than the smaller container. In my opinion you could use either. But if you do go with the bigger size, you’ll want to use approximately 1/3-1/2 of the container.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

Warm the hot fudge in the microwave for 30 seconds with the lid removed. Stir the jar so the sauce has a nice spreadable consistency. Empty the entire hot jar of hot fudge sauce on top of the strawberry ice cream layer and smooth it out from edge to edge. Place the cake pan back in the freezer for 30 minutes or until the fudge layer has firmed up.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

Grab the vanilla ice cream and repeat the exact same steps as the strawberry ice cream.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

Cover the cake pan with plastic wrap and return the ice cream cake to the freezer for at least 6 hours or until very firm. What you’re looking for is for the cake to be completely rock solid frozen. Allowing the ice cream layers to set overnight works beautifully.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

When you’re preparing the cake to serve, be sure to make sure the frozen strawberries have thawed. Drain the strawberries and then spread the mixture on top of the frozen ice cream cake. Make sure to leave about a 1” edge around the cake.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

To loosen the cake from the pan, take a knife and run it around the inside of the pan.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

Unlatch the springform pan from its base.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

To finish the ice cream cake off, top the edges off with swirls of whipped cream. For an added touch, sprinkle chopped nuts on top of the cake and add maraschino cherries on top of the whipped cream crowns.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

Serve with crushed pineapple on the side.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Banana Split Ice Cream Cake. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Annalise Ree (cuddelsandcomfortfoods) of Sweet Anna's.

Final thoughts: I will not lie. As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, this recipe requires time. It is best made at least 1 day ahead but can be stored in the freezer for a couple weeks. This makes a great alternative to serving a traditional cake on any special occasion and best of all … requires NO BAKING. It is nostalgic, whimsical, and fun to eat.

Thanks again to Tasty Kitchen member Annalise Ree of Sweet Anna’s for this creative way of preparing one of my favorite ice cream treats!

 
 

Printable Recipe

Banana Split Ice Cream Cake

See post on Sweet Anna's’s site!
4.89 Mitt(s) 9 Rating(s)9 votes, average: 4.89 out of 59 votes, average: 4.89 out of 59 votes, average: 4.89 out of 59 votes, average: 4.89 out of 59 votes, average: 4.89 out of 5

Prep Time:

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Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 12

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Description

Soo good. Really. That’s all there is to it!

Oh, and don’t let the ‘cake’ part fool you … there’s no cake in this ‘cake’!

Ingredients

  • 20 whole Oreo Cookies
  • 4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
  • 4 whole Bananas
  • 1 pint Strawberry Ice Cream
  • 1 pint Vanilla Ice Cream
  • 1 jar (about 16 Oz. Jar) Hot Fudge Sauce
  • 1 container (16 Oz. Container) Frozen Sliced Sweetened Strawberries, Thawed And Drained
  • Fresh Whipped Cream, For Serving
  • Crushed Pineapple, For Serving

Preparation Instructions

Take out the strawberry ice cream to thaw. Place the Oreos in a gallon Ziploc bag and crush well with a rolling pin or small frying pan. Pour the melted butter into the Ziploc bag and mix it up. Press this crumb mixture into the bottom of a springform pan.

Slice the bananas into 1/2″ rounds and arrange in a single layer on top of the crust. (Use as many banana slices as needed to fill the layer.) Place the pan into the freezer for about 10 minutes.

Scoop the softened strawberry ice cream in small scoops on top of the frozen banana layer, smoothing it together with a spoon dipped in warm water. Return to the freezer for 1-2 hours, until the ice cream is firm again.

Take the vanilla ice cream out of the freezer to thaw. Warm the hot fudge sauce slightly, just until it is easily spreadable. Pour the fudge over the strawberry ice cream layer, smoothing the top, and place back into the freezer for 15 minutes or so, until the fudge has firmed up again.

Scoop the softened vanilla ice cream in small scoops on top of the fudge layer, again smoothing it together with the back of a spoon dipped in warm water. Cover with plastic wrap and return to the freezer for at least another 4-6 hours until very firm. (At this point the cake could be frozen, well wrapped, for a week or longer!)

Pour the drained sliced sweetened strawberries into a bowl and crush with a pastry blender or a fork until the berries are all mashed up. Store in the fridge until almost ready to serve the cake.

Spread the crushed berries over the top of the cake, to within one-half inch of the edge. Serve with fresh whipped cream and crushed pineapple for those who want it!

 
 
_______________________________________

Alice Currah is the force behind Sweet Savory Life and Everyday Alice. She and her husband Rob are the proud parents of three children: Abbi, Mimi, and Elli. Alice is the winner of Saveur’s Cover Contest and is on the Forbes.com list of Eight of The Very Best Food Bloggers. She’s the best-est.

 

46 Comments

Comments are closed for this recipe.

priyanka on 10.13.2010

i loveeeeee ice cream cake wow wow wow ammmmmmm

jolietjulie on 8.29.2010

Where does the pineapple get added? I didn’t see it in the instructions anywhere.

Nancy Tipton on 8.2.2010

Yummy, I made this for my kids birthday party yesterday (9 and 6) . They helped make it. Everyone loved it. I had a terrible time cutting through the frozen banana layer and even broke the knife. (yes it was a warm knife). I will make this again. And no there were no leftovers!!!!!

Marlene on 8.2.2010

What about the pineapple?

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asweetp on 8.1.2010

I think I may need to make this for my daughter for no reason at all but to give me an excuse to have a slice myself!

Haute Muslimah on 7.30.2010

Alice, that looks Incredibly. Delish!

Deb J on 7.30.2010

My daughter and I made this for my son’s birthday because he had requested an ice cream cake. Wow! This was amazing!

Bakerella on 7.29.2010

Alice – this looks AMAZING and the photo almost has a vintage feel. Love it.

on 7.28.2010

Awesome.

Raechel on 7.28.2010

This looks like i need to invest in a spring-form pan. If cheesecakes weren’t reason enough….now I have this as an excuse to purchase one!

Margo/MS Hospitality on 7.28.2010

SOOOOOO Goood!

Tabitha (FromSingletoMarried) on 7.28.2010

Wow – this cake is gorgeous, it’s like a work of art! Looks tasty too. :)

Carla on 7.27.2010

I…oh my gosh…*gulp*…*slips into food coma*

Kellee on 7.27.2010

You might want to add the bananas to the list of ingredients :)

katie o. on 7.27.2010

holy wow. i’m one of the banana haters, but the other layers kind of make you lose sight of the fact that it’s a “banana split ice cream cake”. i really don’t like bananas, but i think i can suffer just this once….

Memoria on 7.27.2010

I have to admit that this cake looks amazingly decadent. I have some homemade ice cream, hot fudge, and heavy cream that could would love be part of this cake.

Missy on 7.27.2010

Oh NO!!!!

Margo/MS Hospitality on 7.27.2010

This looks so wonderful! I am going to make this for tonight to surprise cute husband! I have a 2 person serving spring form pan and I’m going to use it…. perfect for a couple! YUMMY! Thanks for the recipe!!!

Alice on 7.27.2010

This looks VERY delicious! OMG!

Cookin' Canuck on 7.26.2010

Great recipe, Annalise and beautiful photos, Alice! Now this is the way to enjoy a banana split.

mcl2008 on 7.26.2010

Wow…just wow…That just looks too delicious for words!

Courtney on 7.26.2010

OH MY GOODNESS.. I’m making this ASAP! :)

Vicki (piggledy) on 7.26.2010

What a stunning idea for a “cake”. My birthday was last Tuesday. If I had only known, we may have chosen this as our birthday cake – I share my birthday with my niece, brother, and mother – our four birthdays span the 18th through the 20th. Emily, age 6, actually still gets her own celebration, but the other three of us, and our spouses, get to share one birthday. Oh, well. We’re all attempting to lose some weight anyway. But, if we are successful, there is always next year! Now I’ve got to slide over to your blog and see what else you are up to!

Georgia Pellegrini on 7.26.2010

I love simple, clean desserts…but sometimes you just gotta choose the good old-fashioned and retro.

Judy on 7.26.2010

My Favorite thing in the whole wide world is Hagen Daaz strawberry ice cream. My second favorite is fudge. I am in love with this and I haven’t even made it yet!!!!

Cara on 7.26.2010

Gorgeous!! Can’t wait to try this!

kim on 7.26.2010

Ok, your photos of this cake are outstanding. I am pretty sure if I made this it wouldn’t come out this pretty. I am not a big fan of banana splits, but your post makes me want to try this out!

Jeanette on 7.26.2010

This looks so deliciously refreshing on this HOT summer day. I like the pineapple on the side, since I’m not a huge fan of it in a banana split.

Ingrid on 7.26.2010

Banana splits have always been a favorite!

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Stephanie on 7.26.2010

Oh. My. Heavens. Simple and looks deeeeelish!

Theresa in Alberta on 7.26.2010

Now that is summer time “cooking”!

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A Cozy Kitchen on 7.26.2010

Holy moly, that looks amazing! That thing should be illegal!

Paula on 7.26.2010

OMG, that`s awesome!

Have a nice time!
Paula

jill on 7.26.2010

have some problem seeing all the pics but I’m sure it will get fixed soon. yum!

Annalise on 7.26.2010

Thanks for featuring my recipe! Fun to see all the pictures!! :) (I don’t have the patience for that, when I’m baking/making!)

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DessertForTwo on 7.26.2010

I don’t know if I can look at something so sinful on a Monday morning! :)

Jesslyn on 7.26.2010

Holy cannoli! This looks delicious!! SO adding it to my recipe box!

Monica8773 on 7.26.2010

oooh that looks delightful!

Kim in MD on 7.26.2010

Wow…this is some dessert! I love the smiley face! :-)

Heather (Heather's Dish) on 7.26.2010

this looks like a party!!! i love the idea of this cake for breakfast, lunch, and dinner :)

ColeyCook on 7.26.2010

I made this for an outdoor dinner party earlier this summer, and it was a hit! The best part for me was that I had a very busy week, so I made it Wednesday night for the Friday evening party. The best part for everyone else was that it was delicious!

Kristen on 7.26.2010

Holy mother of cakes. That looks delicious!

Laura on 7.26.2010

My kid says, “I want it in my mouth!”

Looks great, but I wonder if the ice cream would taste sort of icy from being party melted and re-frozen a few times.

beth aka confusedhomemaker on 7.26.2010

Umm, oh wow!

I may need to go to confession just from looking at this, but it was SO worth it…how bad will it be after I decide to make it & have a slice ;)

Jessica @ How Sweet on 7.26.2010

Holy cow. That is seriously sinful.

Amy from She Wears Many Hats (missamy) on 7.26.2010

Whoa. That’s serious sweets. My kids are old enough and would love making this one.