About this Recipe

This was a Grandmother classic dessert. Fruity, easy to make and delicious. The kids love it and adults too. I love simple easy to make dessert recipes like this No Bake Banana Split Cake. Don't let the fact that there are several layers fool you into thinking it is complicated. You just need a couple of bowls for mixing and this dessert will be whipped up and ready to serve.

Grandmother’s Tips for No Bake Banana Split Cake:

1. Don't use over ripe bananas in this dessert. Choose bananas that are just ready to eat. It's all about the texture and the color of the bananas for this dessert.

2. You can use all graham cracker crumbs if you don't want to use nuts.

3. You can choose a non-baked or a baked crust for this dessert.

4. If you have fresh pineapple rather than canned pineapple, you can easily swap that in the recipe and just chop it up really small and easy to bite.

5. This dessert is call a No-Bake Banana split cake and you DO NOT have to bake the graham crust, we just happen to like the flavor of it when it has been baked, but this recipe also is made with a refrigerator graham crust.

6. You will want to chill the cake for about 4 hours in the fridge before serving.

7. Garnish with maraschino cherries and drizzle on Chocolate Sauce for an extra beautiful dessert.

8. This dessert is best the day it is made and if not all eaten can be refrigerated and second day it will still look and taste wonderful.

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Ingredients

(Print)

Makes: 8 - 10 servings

Crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup ground walnuts (or you can use additional graham crackers if you don't want to use walnuts)

1/4 cup butter, melted (or room temperature, if you are not baking and just refrigerating)

For The Layers:

Whipping Cream:

1 (473ml) container - 2 cups whipping cream (it will make 4 cups)

1/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar - to mix in with whipped cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract - to mix in with whipped cream

Cream Cheese Layer:

6 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/8 cup granulated sugar - to mix into the cream cheese

Fruit Layers:

1/2 can crushed pineapple, well drained (you can always freeze the 2nd half of the can for another time)

8 ounces fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and cut into slices

2 bananas, not over ripe, you want them to be firm

Directions

1. Grease a 8x8 or 6x9 inch glass baking dish.

2. You do not need to bake the graham crust, in which case - have the butter at room temperature and work the butter into the graham crumbs by stirring in and then combining with your fingertips. Next you pat down into the dish and refrigerate.

4. If you want the crust baked, you use melted butter and you pour the butter into the ground graham crumbs, stir together then pat down. Place into a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 12-15 minutes.

5. Let cool to room temperature then refrigerate 20 minutes or so before putting the next layer. The bottom crust must be cool before proceeding.

6. Prepare the strawberries by washing, hulling and slicing them and set aside.

7. Drain the juice from the crushed pineapple. Set aside. You can drink the juice.

8. Make the whipping cream and set aside. Learn how to make Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe.

9. Place the cream cheese into a medium size mixing bowl, add the sugar and beat together until combined. Fold in 2 cups of the whipped cream and set aside.

10. Measure out the 1/2 can of crushed pineapple and slice the bananas.

11. Take the cooled crust from the refrigerator and dollop the cream cheese filling onto the crust, spread evenly with a spatula.

12. Arrange the banana layer onto the filling layer. Arrange the pineapple layer onto the banana layer. Arrange the strawberry layer next. Dollop the remaining whipped cream on top and arrange nicely. Cover with a lid a refrigerate 4 hours before cutting and serving.

ENJOY!

Return to this No Bake Banana Split Cake recipe or check out more recipes at Grandmother's Kitchen

There is so much to love about this no-bake treat and dessert recipe. From the graham cracker and walnut crust to the whipped cream, cream cheese layer and all the fruit, you won't believe how easy it is to make this easy dessert. One of the best things about this dessert recipe, besides the fact that it tastes so good, is that it's no-bake which is great when you don't want to turn on the oven, or you are using the oven for other things.

This no-bake treat has plenty of fruit to include crushed pineapple, fresh strawberries and bananas. Eating more fruits and vegetables appear to have favourable effects for outcomes of cardiovascular risk factors.(1) Bananas, dark leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds, avocados, and dark chocolate are good sources of magnesium. Magnesium is indirectly associated with an improved mood. Studies show that people with depression tend to have lower magnesium levels than people without depression.(2)

References: (1)Hartley L, Igbinedion E, Holmes J, Flowers N, Thorogood M, Clarke A, Stranges S, Hooper L, Rees K. Increased consumption of fruit and vegetables for the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2013, Issue 6. Art. No.: CD009874. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009874.pub2.

(2) "How eating better can make you happier," Examine.com, published on 19 May 2015, last updated on 22 October 2018, https://examine.com/nutrition/how-eating-better-can-make-you-happier/