A graham cracker crust, sweetened cream cheese filling, pineapple and bananas, pudding, and coolwhip, did I get it all? This No Bake Banana Split Cake is summer-y, special, and oh so delicious! It's perfect for potlucks and graduation parties, you'll have guests fighting for the last slice!
I have seen this banana split dessert called a bunch of different things. From banana lasagna, banana lush, banana trifle, to layered banana dessert. This No Bake Banana Split Cake takes the cake. Literally! This dessert goes out to all of my sweet tooths.
This banana split cake recipe is very nostalgic to me because it reminds me of my dad. It was "his dessert" the one he made for special occasions and he always made it perfectly. I wanted to make it for my son's birthday party, so I texted my dad for the recipe. I don't want to keep the deliciousness to myself, so I knew I had to share it with all of you!
We originally found this recipe in an old Kraft Foods magazine that we used to get. Does anyone remember those? I believe the subscription was free, and they featured lots of recipes using Kraft brand products. There were definitely some gems in there, like this one!
This banana pudding recipe with cool whip is great for something a little different to bring to parties. Although I'm totally a chocolate lover, it can be fun to switch it up! Plus this layered refrigerator cake has all of the features of a banana split sundae, you just need the cherry on top! For another fruity dessert, try this lemon blueberry ricotta cake or blueberry hand pies.
Ingredients
- crushed graham crackers or graham cracker crumbs
- sugar
- butter
- cream cheese blocks
- crushed pineapple or diced pineapple chunks
- bananas
- JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
- cold milk
- COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
- chopped pecans
How to make banana split cake
Combine graham cracker crumbs, ¼ cup sugar, and melted butter in a bowl. Mix until all of the butter is absorbed into the crackers.
Gently press mixture into a 9x13 inch glass dish. Freeze for 10 minutes.
While the graham layer is freezing, beat together softened cream cheese and remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Carefully spread cream cheese mixture over the top of the graham cracker layer.
Drain pineapple and layer on top of cream cheese layer. Peel and slice bananas and add those on top.
In another bowl, combine cold milk with 2 boxes of vanilla pudding. Whisk until thick.
Add in 1 cup of cool whip and stir to combine. Spread over top the fruit layer.
Spread remaining cool whip over top and place in the fridge for 5 hours. Top with chopped nuts and remaining sliced bananas and serve.
Recipe Tip
Some grocery stores sell pre-crushed graham cracker crumbs which is a time saver for this multi-step recipe. You can certainly use regular graham crackers and crush them yourself, but the crumbs work really well. I found mine at Target!
Variations and Substitutions
- Add in extra fruit, like strawberries or maraschino cherries. This makes this dessert even more like a banana split and it gives it some beautiful color!
- While it would certainly take extra work, you could make this banana dessert in individual cups. Little mason jars would be adorable so you could see all of the layers. What a cute dessert for a wedding or baby shower!
Storage
This cake has a lot of dairy, so it needs to be kept covered and refrigerated when you aren't serving it. It will keep in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
Can you freeze this layered banana dessert?
Yes, you can! This recipe freezes well. The only ingredient that may be affected is the sliced bananas, they can get a little slimy when thawed. Because they are in the middle of this layered dessert, you shouldn't notice too much. If desired, you can leave them out of the middle layer and slice them on top after thawing for maximum freshness.
No Bake Banana Split Cake
Ingredients
- 9 graham crackers crushed (about 1-½ cups)
- 1 cup sugar divided
- ⅓ cup butter melted
- 2 pkg. 8 oz. each PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
- 1 can 20 oz. crushed pineapple in juice, drained
- 4 bananas divided
- 2 pkg. 3.4 oz. each JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
- 2 cups cold milk
- 2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping divided
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Combine graham cracker crumbs, ¼ cup sugar, and melted butter in a bowl. Mix until all of the butter is absorbed into the crackers.
- Gently press mixture into a 9x13 inch glass dish. Freeze for 10 minutes.
- While the graham layer is freezing, beat together softened cream cheese and remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Carefully spread cream cheese mixture over the top of the graham cracker layer.
- Drain pineapple and layer on top of cream cheese layer. Peel and slice bananas and add those on top.
- In another bowl, combine cold milk with 2 boxes of vanilla pudding. Whisk until thick.
- Add in 1 cup of cool whip and stir to combine. Spread over top the fruit layer.
- Spread remaining cool whip over top and place in the fridge for 5 hours. Top with chopped nuts and remaining sliced bananas and serve.
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