Adding chocolate chips and cherries makes this banana cake extra special. Bring this Banana Split Bundt Cake to those weekend picnics and watch it disappear.
One of my favorite jobs when I was in college was at a restaurant in PA called Friendly's. I waitressed there with my two best friends, and I have so many fond memories from those days. There were so many days of just goofing off, laughing when we had to work the "butt" tables, flirting with the customers (yeah, we had no shame then), and trying to get our tables to order an ice cream dessert.
On the busier nights we had someone who would make the ice cream treats for us. But there were those slow days and nights when getting the ice cream order just went with the job. I have to admit I really loved making those fun treats.
We served milk shakes, clown sundaes for the kids, Reese's sundaes, and of course banana splits. You can order all the sundaes as either a 3 or 5 scoop sundae. And the bowl that the 5 scoop Jim Dandy sundae came in was massive. Seriously, the thing was huge. And was it ever fun to make.
5 scoops of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream topped with fudge, marshmallow, strawberry, walnuts, Cool Whip, sprinkles, a cherry, and of course a banana cut in half, sliced and stuck all around the top of the bowl. This is not a sundae for the faint of heart. Just carrying the dessert around the restaurant was nerve wracking because the thing was so heavy.
As a waitress, you were always trying to get people to order dessert. The higher the bill, the higher the tip...hopefully. If a table said they were too full for dessert, my classic response was, "Oh, you don't need to be hungry for dessert. It just melts and fills in the cracks."
Seriously? Who says that? And really, who would believe that?
Of course to celebrate Banana Split Week, I decided to make a Banana Split Bundt Cake.
For this fun Banana Split Bundt Cake, you are going to incorporate that melty ice cream in place of other liquids. Yeah, baby! You read that right! Ice cream is going into this cake! Now it's like a real Banana Split.
Measure the ice cream first, then leave it in a bowl on the counter for 10-15 minutes before starting. Stir it up before you get started baking. Remember when you were a kid and would make ice cream soup? Ok, maybe that was just me. Anyhoo...make sure it is in liquid form when you add it to the cake batter. If you forget to get it out early, pop it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
This cake starts out with a cake mix and a box of banana pudding. To amp up the banana flavor some more, you will add a little bit of oil and 2 ripe bananas mashed up. The extra bananas add the extra flavor and moistness this cake needs. A whole jar of maraschino cherries diced up and mini chocolate chips knock the socks off this cake.
To complete the banana split sundae look, top the cake with chocolate drizzles, nuts, Cool Whip, and cherries. I like to buy the cherries with the stems on because I think they are just so much more fun. But if you can only find normal no stem cherries, those work just as well.
Make sure you visit Aimee and see her banana split week recipe. I hear she made a very delicious Banana Split Poke Cake.
Recipe
Banana Split Bundt Cake
Chocolate chips and cherries add a fun twist to this banana bundt cake. It is moist and very delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 vanilla cake mix (15.25 oz.)
- 1 box dry instant banana pudding mix (3.4 oz.)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups vanilla ice cream, melted
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- ½ cup miniature chocolate chips
- 1 cup diced maraschino cherries (16 oz. jar)
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon shortening
- ¼ cup diced nuts
- Cool Whip
- stemmed maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, melted ice cream, oil, and mashed bananas. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed, and 2 minutes on high speed.
- Stir in the mini chocolate chips and the diced cherries. Gently spoon the batter into a greased 12 inch bundt pan.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then flip out onto a plate and cool completely.
- Place the chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute. Stir and heat for 20 seconds. Stir until creamy.
- Spoon into a plastic baggie and cut one tip off. Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake. Sprinkle with nuts.
- Serve with Cool Whip and extra cherries if desired. Cut into 14 slices.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 358Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 341mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 2gSugar: 35gProtein: 5g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
More fun and delicious ways to put that bundt pan to use:
Salted Caramel Mocha Bundt Cake
Raffaela V. DiBella
I would love to make this Banana Split Bundt cake, but I see no mention of the amount of ice cream to be used.
Thanks, in advance, for responding.
Jocelyn
The amount of ice cream is listed in the recipe. If you scroll down below the pictures, you will see the printable recipe card. I hope that helps.
Christy @ My Invisible Crown
Great minds think alike! I made a banana split bundt cake last year and LOVED it. This one look perfect. 🙂
dina
i'd love a slice of this!
Amy @ Amy's Healthy Baking
That is the CUTEST response to "I don't have room for dessert!" Seriously. And me being the huge sweet tooth that I am, I'd totally buy it, especially when it comes to ice cream! (It's one of my few "out of control" foods. As in I go back for thirds and fourths. No shame!) And you weren't the only person to make ice cream soup -- my brother and I did that ALL the time! Mom would hand us a bowl, and we'd stir like crazy to get it to "melt" faster. So fun!!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Haha, thanks girl! 😉 Ice cream soup was the best!
Julianne+@+Beyond+Frosting
OH MY GAWD you worked at Friendlys?! That was one of my favorite spots in high school. We would go there pretty much every weekend after the movies and get the munchie mania and buffalo chicken stripes. Sadly it has since closed. This dessert is a perfect creation to remind me of that!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Haha, thanks Julianne! 🙂
Kathi Riemer
All of these bundt cakes look so yummy. It's time for me to buy a bundt pan I guess. Thank you for sharing these lovely recipes...pinned.
Jamie
Jocelyn, that cake looks incredible and it sounds super yummy!! I'm getting my grocery list out now so I can add the ingredients that I need to make that because I have to try this cake!!! YUM!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Jamie! 🙂
Jamie+|+My+Baking+Addiction
I love a good bundt cake and this one is loaded with some of my absolute favorite flavors, plus anything topped with a stemmed cherry is pretty much perfect in my eyes!
Cookbook Queen
One of my favorite memories with my grandma was her taking me to Friendly's in Ohio. We don't have them here in Arkansas, and I consider that to be one of life's great injustices. I always got the sundae with all the Reese's pieces on it -- I'd kill for one of those right now!
Trish+-+Mom+On+Timeout
I think you are officially the queen of the bundts! This is just too awesome Jocelyn - pinned!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Trish! 🙂
Rachel (teacher-chef)
What is not to love about this cake!! And maybe that is why I have gained weight - because the ice cream is filling in ALL of my cracks!! I love this, can't wait to make others smile with it - thanks!
Averie+@+Averie+Cooks
What a fun cake and so perfect for the summer! 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Averie! 🙂
Lindsay+@+Life,+Love+and+Sugar
OMG - ice cream in the cake - genius! I love this! We had Friendlys when I lived in NC and I love it! Love that comment about it filling in the cracks! Gonna have to use that 😉
Amanda
What a creative bundt cake! It looks delicious 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Amanda! 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
What a fun bundt cake flavor, Jocelyn! Looks gorgeous, too! I don't think this cake would last long in my house!
Katy
Friendly's?! Which location? My husband grew up in Reading and has such great memories of after church visits to Friendly's with his grandparents for ice cream. I think I may have to go next time we're there, since I've never been to a Friendly's. Eep! Also, this cake = fab 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
A little town about an hour north of Reading! 😉 Thanks Katy!
Mir
You worked at Friendly's? I love that place! I took my kids there last week for sundaes!
This cake is gorgeous! I does look just like a sundae!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Mir! 🙂