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Banana Split Cake

A show-stopping from-scratch layer cake with two homemade banana cake layers, a bright strawberry cake layer, fluffy cream cheese almond frosting, and a glossy chocolate ganache topped with fresh strawberries. It's a little bit extra — but a whole lot worth it — and you can spread the work over a couple of days.
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Chill TIme 3 hours
Serving Size 14 slices

Ingredients

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

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 or frozen

Cream Cheese Almond Frosting

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

Chocolate Ganache

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

Instructions

Banana Cake

  • Preheat oven to 275°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans (line the bottoms with parchment for easy release).
  • Mash bananas to 1½ cups and stir in the lemon juice.
  • Cream the butter and sugar 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  • Add eggs to the butter-sugar mixture one at a time, mixing well after each.
  • Alternate adding the dry mixture and the buttermilk (stir the vanilla into the buttermilk first), beginning and ending with the dry. Mix on low.
  • Scrape the bowl, add the mashed bananas, and mix just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
  • Divide between the pans and bake at 275°F for 30–55 minutes, until a toothpick or knife comes out clean. (A thick cake may take the full 55 minutes.)
  • Cool a few minutes, then freeze in the pans uncovered to firm up before turning out. Layers can be wrapped and frozen 1–2 months and come out even more moist.

Strawberry Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch pans.
  • Combine the cake mix, strawberry gelatin, water, oil, eggs, and diced strawberries in a bowl.
  • Mix on medium about 2 minutes, scraping down once.
  • Divide between the pans and bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool a few minutes, then turn out. Use one layer; freeze the other for later.

Cream Cheese Almond Frosting

  • Cream the cream cheese and butter 2 minutes until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed.
  • Add 4 cups powdered sugar gradually on low, then beat on high.
  • Add 2 tablespoons milk, the vanilla, and the almond extract.
  • Taste and adjust — add up to 1 more cup powdered sugar to thicken or a splash more milk to loosen, until fluffy and spreadable.

Chocolate Ganache

  • Heat the heavy cream in the microwave until very hot but not boiling, about 1½–2½ minutes.
  • Pour in the chocolate chips and let sit undisturbed 2–3 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy.
  • Let cool 5–10 minutes until still warm and pourable.

Assembly

  • Place one banana layer down and spread with cream cheese almond frosting.
  • Add the strawberry layer, frost, then top with the second banana layer (flipped for a flat top).
  • Frost the sides well, then a thin layer on top.
  • Pour the ganache: edges first to create drips, then fill the top, meeting the edges.
  • Dip 6 strawberries in the remaining ganache and arrange on top.
  • Chill about 3 hours until the ganache is set before slicing.

Video

Notes

  • Make-ahead: Bake the cake layers up to 1–2 months in advance and freeze them well-wrapped; they turn out more moist after freezing. Assemble with fresh frosting and ganache when ready.
  • Frozen strawberries (1 cup from a tub) work in the strawberry cake; they're usually sweetened, so the layer will be a touch sweeter.
  • Sheet cake option: the strawberry cake batter works in a 9x13.