Banana Split Cake: A Banana-and-Strawberry Layer Cake Worth Every Step

A Cake You Asked For

I have to be honest with you — this is the day a lot of you have been waiting for. Ever since I posted a picture of this cake on the channel, you have been asking me to make a video and give you the recipe. So here we are. We didn’t even quite know what to call it at first. It has two banana layers, a strawberry layer, that cream cheese almond frosting, and chocolate ganache with strawberries on top, and somebody suggested “banana split cake” — and that’s what we’re going with.

This is only the second time I’ve made it, so I’m right there learning alongside you. The first time, I did two strawberry layers and one banana. But that banana cake was such a huge hit that this time we flipped it: two layers of banana, one of strawberry. If we’re calling it a banana split cake, I think the banana ought to be the star.

A little tip I learned the hard way — line your cake pans with parchment paper. I greased and floured mine the old-fashioned way (with the butter wrappers, of course), and that banana cake fought me a little coming out of the pan. Nothing a quick trim couldn’t fix, but parchment makes it so much easier. I’ll walk you through that below.

And yes, my husband wandered through while I was mashing bananas and told me they were “appealing.” I did not plan that, y’all. He just comes up with these on the spot. But the man’s not wrong about this cake.

Banana Split Cake Recipe

This recipe is really four little recipes that come together at the end: a banana cake, a strawberry cake, a cream cheese almond frosting, and a chocolate ganache. Don’t let that scare you. It’s forgiving, and you can spread it out over more than one day.

Active time: about 1 hour 15 minutes Bake time: banana cake 30–55 minutes • strawberry cake about 25 minutes Chill time: about 3 hours (plus optional overnight freeze for the cake layers) Servings: 12–16 slices (it’s a tall one)

For the Banana Cake (makes two 9-inch layers)

• 1½ cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2⅛ cups granulated sugar (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
• ¾ cup butter, room temperature
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1½ cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Strawberry Cake (makes two 9-inch layers — you’ll use one)

• 1 box white or vanilla cake mix
• 1 (3 oz) box strawberry instant gelatin
• ½ cup water
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup finely diced fresh strawberries (frozen works too)

For the Cream Cheese Almond Frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, room temperature
• 4–5 cups powdered sugar
• 2–3 tablespoons milk, to adjust
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

For the Chocolate Ganache

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• About 6 fresh strawberries, washed and dried (for topping)

Make the Banana Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 275°F. That’s lower than we usually bake cakes — this is a thick batter, and the low and slow gives you a nice, even cake. Grease and flour two 9-inch pans (and if you’ve got it, line the bottoms with parchment — trust me).
2. Mash your bananas in a bowl until you have about 1½ cups. Stir in the lemon juice. That brightens the flavor and keeps the bananas happy while you put the rest together.
3. In your mixer, cream the butter and sugar for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. (No sifter? Your whisk does the job just fine.)
5. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar one at a time, letting each one mix in well before the next.
6. Now alternate: add about a third of the flour mixture, then part of the buttermilk (stir the vanilla into your buttermilk first), and keep going — flour, liquid, flour — ending with the flour. It’ll look soupy in the middle of all that; don’t worry, that’s exactly what it’s supposed to look like.
7. Scrape the bowl, then add the mashed bananas and mix just until they’re worked through. Don’t overmix.
8. Divide between your two pans and bake at 275°F. The recipe runs 30 to 40 minutes, but mine is a thick cake and went the full 55 minutes — every oven’s a little different, so do a toothpick or knife test and pull it when it comes out clean.
9. Make-ahead freezer trick: Let the cake cool just a few minutes, then set the pans straight in the freezer (uncovered) for a little bit to firm up before turning the layers out. Wrapped well, banana cake layers keep 1 to 2 months in the freezer and come out even more moist than fresh.

Make the Strawberry Cake

10. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease and flour two more 9-inch pans.
11. This one’s a dump-and-mix. Put the cake mix, strawberry gelatin, water, oil, and eggs in a bowl. Add 1 cup of finely diced strawberries (save your prettiest berries for the ganache topping — chop the smaller ones for the cake).
12. Mix on medium about 2 minutes, scraping down once so nothing hides on the edge.
13. Divide between the pans and bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pans a few minutes, then turn out onto a rack. You’ll use one layer for this cake and can freeze the other for next time.

Make the Cream Cheese Almond Frosting

14. Cream the room-temperature cream cheese and butter together a couple of minutes until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed.
15. Add 4 cups of powdered sugar (start with half, mix on low, then the rest). Turn it up and check the feel.
16. Add 2 tablespoons of milk, the vanilla, and the almond extract. That almond is strong on its own, but paired with the vanilla it’s just perfect.
17. Taste and adjust — a little more powdered sugar to thicken (I added a 5th cup), a splash more milk to loosen. You want it fluffy and easy to spread.

Make the Chocolate Ganache

18. Heat the heavy cream in the microwave until it’s good and hot but not boiling — somewhere between 1½ and 2½ minutes depending on your microwave.
19. Pour in the chocolate chips and let them sit, undisturbed, for 2 to 3 minutes. Then stir. At first it’ll look like it isn’t coming together — keep going, it will turn into a smooth, glossy ganache.
20. Let it cool 5 to 10 minutes. You want it still warm and pourable, not piping hot.

Assemble

21. Place a banana layer down first. Spread a good layer of the cream cheese almond frosting on top.
22. Add the strawberry layer, frost it, then top with your second banana layer (flip the top one so you get a nice crisp, flat edge).
23. Frost the sides first so they’re well covered, then do a thin layer on top — the ganache is going over it anyway, so a thin top is fine. Don’t fuss over crumbs; the ganache hides a lot.
24. Pour the ganache: start at the edges and let it drip down here and there (uneven is beautiful), then slowly fill in the top, just meeting the edge so it doesn’t all run over.
25. Dip about 6 strawberries in the leftover ganache, let the excess drip, and cluster them on top however you like.
26. Chill in the fridge about 3 hours so the ganache sets before you slice in.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is banana split cake? There are two very different desserts with this name. The popular one is a no-bake icebox dessert with a graham cracker crust, cream cheese or pudding layer, bananas, pineapple, and whipped topping. This recipe is the baked layer cake version — homemade banana cake, strawberry cake, cream cheese almond frosting, and chocolate ganache. Same name, completely different cake.

Can I make banana split cake ahead of time? Yes, and I’d encourage it — this is the easiest way to take the stress out. Bake the cake layers on one day, wrap them well, and freeze them (1 to 2 months). The layers actually turn out more moist after freezing. Then make the frosting and ganache and assemble whenever you’re ready.

Why do you bake the banana cake at 275°F? It’s a thick, heavy batter, and a lower temperature lets it bake through evenly without the edges drying out before the center is done. Just know it takes longer — mine needed the full 55 minutes.

Do I have to make the strawberry cake from a box mix? That’s how I make it, and it comes out wonderfully — the box mix plus strawberry gelatin and a cup of fresh strawberries gives you a bright, moist layer with very little fuss. You can use a white or vanilla mix, whichever you have.

Can I use frozen strawberries? Absolutely. Use 1 cup of frozen strawberries from the tub. They usually come sweetened, so the cake will be a touch sweeter, but it’s good either way.

What does the almond extract do in the frosting? It’s the secret that pulls the whole cake together — banana, strawberry, and chocolate are a lot of flavors, and the cream cheese almond frosting marries them. Almond can be strong, so pairing it with vanilla keeps it balanced.

Can I make this as a sheet cake instead of layers? Yes — if you’re not after the layered look, the strawberry cake batter does beautifully in a 9×13. You could adapt the banana cake the same way; just watch your bake time.

How many people does it serve? It’s a tall cake, so a little goes a long way. You’ll comfortably get 12 to 16 slices.