The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.
This No-Bake Banana Split Cake isn’t really a cake. It’s more of a layered dessert with a graham cracker crust, cream cheese layer, fruit filling, pudding layer, and sundae toppings.
Our recipe makes 16 servings for a total of $13.28. That is only $0.83 per serving!
No-bake desserts are fantastic any time of the year but especially in the summertime. Some of our favorites include this No Bake Oreo Cheesecake, this Lemon Icebox Pie, and this Shortcut Fried Ice Cream.
For a quick and easy dessert that is rich and creamy, this No-Bake Banana Split Cake is the recipe of your dreams! It is cool and refreshing and comes together with just 20 minutes of prep.
Bring this to your next potluck or BBQ when you do not know what else to bring. It always gets rave reviews! The kiddos have a lot of fun helping with this one, too. It’s a great no-bake recipe for those extra little hands to help with.
There really is no special occasion needed to make this cake. It has all your favorites from a banana split sundae without the ice cream.
It tastes so delicious, and it is so fun to make. This part banana pudding, part icebox cake, park no-bake dessert will soon become one of your family’s favorite recipes!
Ingredients and Cost
RECIPE COST: $13.28
PRICE PER SERVING: $0.83
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs – $0.12
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar – $0.18
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter – $0.81
- 12 ounces cream cheese – $3.00
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – $0.17
- 16-ounce tub Cool Whip – $1.62
- 3 large bananas – $0.60
- 12 medium strawberries – $3.98
- 20 ounce can crushed pineapple – $1.48
- 2 boxes instant banana cream pudding – $1.00
- 2 cups cold milk – $0.32
To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.
Instructions
- First, make the crust. Freeze for 15-20 minutes.
- Next, make the cream cheese filling. Then make the pudding and set it in the fridge to thicken.
- Assemble the cake by evenly spreading the cream cheese layer over the crust, followed by the sliced bananas and strawberries.
- Spread the drained pineapple over the strawberries, then spread the pudding over the fruit.
- Finally, top with a container of Cool Whip and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Serve with additional toppings of your choice.
- Instead of Cool Whip you can whip 4 cups of whipping cream to stiff peaks.
- So save time you can use store-bought graham cracker crumbs. It will just be a little bit more expensive than crushing your own.
Storage Tips
Serve: You can keep this at room temperature for about an hour before you need to refrigerate it.
Store: This will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for 1-2 days.
Freeze: Wrap the pan in two layers of plastic wrap followed by two layers of foil. Stored this way, you can freeze it for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
Cook’s Tools
- 13×9 baking dish
- measuring cups
- liquid measuring cup
- mixing bowls
- measuring spoons
- rolling pin or food processor
- handheld mixer or stand mixer
- rubber scraper
- cutting board
- Chef’s knife
Get Kids Involved
Ages 2-3: Let your little one help you layer the fruit layers in the cake. They will love this!
Ages 4-5: Have your child crush up the graham crackers to make the crust. He/she can also help spread the cool whip over the top of the cake.
Ages 6-8: This is a great recipe to have your child try independently since it is a no-bake recipe. As they assemble the cake, they will build their confidence in the kitchen.
Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.
Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!
Budget Tips
This is a great recipe to have on hand in the summertime when strawberries go on sale for crazy cheap.
More Desserts:
- 4th of July Poke Cake
- Aunt Nancie’s Pistachio Pudding Cake
- Brownie Cookies
- Copycat Sonic Slushes
- Cake Mix Banana Bread
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Cake Mix Peach Cobbler
- Cheesecake Fruit Salad
- Chick-Fil-A Copycat Frosted Lemonade
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Bon Bons
No-Bake Banana Split Cake
Equipment
- 13×9 baking dish
- measuring cups
- Liquid measuring cup
- mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- rolling pin or food processor
- handheld mixer or Stand mixer
- rubber scraper
- cutting board
- chef's knife
Ingredients
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10-12 full crackers)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
CREAM CHEESE FILLING:
- 12 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounce tub thawed Cool Whip
FRUIT FILLING:
- 3 large bananas sliced
- 12 medium strawberries cleaned and sliced
- 20 ounce can crushed pineapple drained well
PUDDING LAYER:
- 2 (3.4-ounce boxes) instant banana cream pudding mix
- 2 cups cold milk
TOPPINGS:
- 8 ounce tub thawed Cool Whip
ADDITIONAL TOPPINGS (all optional):
- ¼ cup chocolate syrup or hot fudge sauce
- 16 Maraschino cherries
- 2 Tablespoons chopped pecans
- 2 Tablespoons sprinkles
Instructions
MAKE CRUST:
- Spray a 13×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Crush graham crackers in a Ziploc bag with a rolling pin or in a food processor.
- Add crumbs to a medium bowl and stir in ¼ cup sugar and melted butter and mix until well combined.
- Press the crumbs into the prepared pan.
- Freeze for 15-20 minutes or until set.
MAKE CREAM CHEESE FILLING:
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- Fold in Cool Whip until smooth.
MAKE PUDDING:
- In a large bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes for the pudding to thicken.
ASSEMBLE:
- Remove the pan from the freezer and spread the cream cheese layer evenly over the graham cracker crust.
- Place sliced bananas on top of the cream cheese layer followed by a layer of sliced strawberries.
- Spread the drained pineapple evenly over the fruit.
- Spread pudding evenly over the bananas.
- Top with a container of Cool Whip and spread into an even layer.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Serve with additional toppings of your choice.
Claudia Lamascolo says
This was the prettiest along with tastiest dessert I ever made
Taryn says
My kids loved this! And I loved how easy it was. Perfect for a hot day when I didn’t want to turn on the oven.
Heron says
It was delicious and easy to make but SUPER sweet and heavy. It’s definitely a ‘tiny serving’ kind of dessert.