Banana Split Ice Cream Cake

This is a sponsored post by Hudsonville Ice Cream, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee's Kitchen possible!

Banana split ice cream sundaes are truly an iconic American dessert. My dad told me he always ordered a banana split at his hometown ice cream stand because it was the biggest sundae. So naturally, I did the same thing.

The only way to improve this classic dessert is to create a version that you can make ahead of time and serve to a crowd. That’s when I dreamt up this banana split ice cream cake.

For the first layer, I made an incredibly delicious and moist banana cake. Banana cake is not the same as banana bread even though they are both similar in flavor. Banana cake is lighter and fluffier.

I achieved this by experimenting with the leavening agents and the flour. I used cake flour in this recipe as opposed to all-purpose flour because cake flour has lower protein than all-purpose flour, so it produces less gluten. This results in a more tender structure.

Sometimes cake flour can be hard to find. I can only ever find it at Walmart stores in Indianapolis. But fortunately, it’s easy to make at home. Here is the formula: 1 cup cake flour = 105 grams all-purpose flour + 14 grams cornstarch.

After the cake cooled, I spread a thick layer of strawberry preserves on top. You can, of course, make your own strawberry sauce, but since the strawberries aren’t the star of the cake, I just used store-bought preserves.

The ice cream, on the other hand, is definitely the most important part of this cake. Every season, Hudsonville Ice Cream comes out with Limited Edition flavors, and each time I try them, I have a new favorite. That’s how I feel about Hudsonville’s Limited Edition Tuxedo Chocolate Cherry ice cream. It has layers of dark and white chocolate ice cream and a tart cherry swirl. My husband and I both said “Wow” out loud after taking our first bite.

Tuxedo Chocolate Cherry ice cream is the absolute perfect ice cream for this cake because it combines the chocolate and cherry flavors we all love and expect in a banana split sundae. I recommend softening the ice cream by moving it to the refrigerator about 20-30 minutes before spreading it on the cake. 

Crushed pineapple is the last layer. Once you spread it on top of the ice cream, stick the cake back in the freezer for at least two hours to firm up.

Before serving, I covered the entire cake in homemade whipped cream. If you have never made whipped cream, you’re really missing out. It’s incredibly easy, and it tastes significantly better than the store-bought stuff. 

I love how this cake turned out, and I really don’t think it could be any cuter! It would be so much fun for a special occasion!

Remember, Limited Edition Tuxedo Chocolate Cherry ice cream is only available for a short time, so definitely grab it while you can! You can use this Scoop Locator tool to find it at a store near you.

Banana Split Ice Cream Cake

Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

For the banana cake

• 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) cake flour
• 3/4 cup (160 grams) brown sugar 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (108 grams) canola oil
• 2 (100 grams) large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 (250 grams) medium bananas

For the strawberry layer

• 1 (15.5 ounce) jar strawberry preserves

For the ice cream layer

• 1 carton Limited Edition Tuxedo Chocolate Cherry ice cream

For the pineapple layer

• 1 (20 ounce) container crushed pineapple, drained

For the whipped cream

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (57 grams) confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Decorations

• Sprinkles, maraschino cherries, crushed peanuts

Directions

For the banana cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prep 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray.
2. Whisk cake flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.
3. Add canola oil, eggs, and vanilla, and mix until just combined.
4. Stir in bananas.
5. Pour batter into springform pan and bake 25-30 minutes, or until internal temperature registers between 200 and 210 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Allow to cool.

For the strawberry layer

1. Once cake cools, leave it in springform pan and spread strawberry preserves on top.

For the ice cream layer

1. Spread Limited Edition Tuxedo Chocolate Cherry ice cream in even layer on top of strawberry preserves.

For the pineapple layer

1. Drain crushed pineapple and spread in even layer over ice cream.
2. Return cake to freezer for at least two hours.

For the whipped cream

1. Combine heavy cream, sugar and vanilla in large bowl. Use hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment to whip the ingredients on medium-high speed until medium peaks form.
2. Remove cake from freezer and use small spatula to cover entire cake in whipped cream.
3. Top with sprinkles, crushed peanuts, and maraschino cherries.
4. Return to freezer until ready to serve.