Banana Split Ice Cream Cake + Video

Banana splits are as iconic to the world of ice cream as red velvet is to the world of cake. When we think of banana splits, we imagine red & white soda fountains from the 50′s and warm summer evenings spent at the ice cream parlor. This special sundae stands the test of time; it is still as beloved today as it was decades ago.

I decided it was time to give this classic a modern day twist. A few weeks ago, I discovered how awesome a homemade ice cream cake can be when I made my father a Buster Bar Ice Cream Cake for his birthday, and I thought to myself, what else can be morphed into ice cream cake form? Thus, here I am, tackling the iconic banana split sundae. I took all the essential flavors and components of the retro treat and compiled them into cake form. The result was both delicious and whimsical.

Here’s the freeze: layers of chocolate, banana, and strawberry ice cream separated by layers of fudge crunch and topped with hot fudge “frosting,” whipped cream, and of course, maraschino cherries. The rainbow of ice cream colors is so pretty to look at, not to mention impressive, but it’s crazy easy to assemble. A monkey could make this ice cream cake as long as he allowed for the proper freezing time. Make this a day in advance or start early, and you’ll have yourself one beautiful and delicious Banana Split Ice Cream Cake.

All the flavors come together beautifully, just like they do in a classic banana split. It’s a fun twist on a frozen favorite.

Check out my video below to see the freeze-by-freeze breakdown!

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

1. Make sure you watch the video to check out all my tips for making this cake.
2. Although this cake is easy to make, it requires about 5 hours of freezing time since you have to freeze each layer. I promise it’s worth it!
3. Since it’s hard to find banana ice cream in the store, I made my own. You can get my Creamy Banana Ice Cream recipe here.
4. Oreos would have the same affect as the chocolate wafers for making the filling.

Banana Split Ice Cream Cake
By The Smart Cookie Cook

Ingredients:

• 1.5 quarts chocolate ice cream
• 1.5 quarts banana ice cream
• 1.5 quarts strawberry ice cream
• 1 1/2 boxes Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers (9-oz. each)
• 2 16-oz. jars hot fudge (recommended: Mrs. Richardson’s)
• 6-8 maraschino cherries, for garnish
• whipped cream, for garnish
• chocolate sprinkles, for garnish

Special Equipment: springform pan

Directions:

1. Allow chocolate ice cream to soften. Either leave it out at room temperature for 30 minutes or microwave for 1 minute and stir. It should be softened, not melted. Meanwhile, crush the chocolate wafers in a food processor until crumbled. They should be textured, not fine.
2. Pour softened chocolate ice cream into a springform pan and spread out in an even layer. Sprinkle half of the wafer crumbs over top in an even layer. Freeze until firm and frozen, about 1 hour.
3. Soften the banana ice cream. Pour into the springform pan on top of the frozen chocolate layer. Gently spread out in an even layer. Top with remaining half of wafer crumbs and freeze until firm and frozen, about 1 hour.
4. Soften the strawberry ice cream. Pour into the pan on top of the frozen banana layer. Gently spread out in an even layer. Freeze until firm and frozen, about 1 hour.
5. Use the first jar of hot fudge to “dirty ice” the cake. Gently spread it out in an even layer, but do not overwork it or you will tear up the ice cream. Don’t worry about it looking pretty; we will add another layer on top of this. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
6. Top with the second jar of fudge. You will now be able to spread it out smoothly without affecting the ice cream. You may freeze for another 30 minutes or take it out now. Carefully remove from the spring-form pan. Use whipped cream, cherries, and sprinkles to decorate. Serve immediately and store in the freezer in an air-tight container.