THE ULTIMATE BANANA SPLIT CAKE

The Ultimate Banana Split Cake image

Once the weather heats up, the first thing I crave is a homemade banana split: ice cream, strawberry topping and whipped cream, surrounded by bananas covered in hot fudge. A classic for sure. Turning that classic summertime dessert into a cake was a brilliant suggestion from a good friend who shares the same passion for those amazing flavors as I do! Once the cake is fully assembled, it should be eaten right away. Leftovers are not an issue, as it is so good people always want more.

Provided by Amanda Rettke

Categories dessert

Time 9h25m

Yield 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

1 banana
1/2 cup chopped semisweet chocolate
1 tablespoon shortening
Butter, for the pan
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy or whipping cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla paste or extract
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Canned strawberry pie filling, for layering
Rainbow sprinkles, for topping

Steps:

For the frozen banana bites: Peel and slice the banana into 1-inch pieces. Heat up the chocolate and shortening for 30 seconds in the microwave in a bowl. Remove and stir. If any lumps remain, heat in 10-second increments until fully melted.
Place the banana pieces on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Using two forks, place a banana piece on one fork and dip it into the chocolate. Make sure the banana piece is covered completely. Remove the banana piece from the chocolate and, using the other fork, gently move the banana piece onto the cookie sheet. When completed, place the chocolate-covered banana pieces in the freezer for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
For the chocolate cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9-by-13-inch cake pan by rubbing with butter, sprinkling with flour and tapping out the extra.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix together with a wooden spoon, then set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat well with a hand mixer. Slowly add the boiling water and mix. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture, and fold and stir until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and cool on a rack.
For the whipped cream: Beat the cream and vanilla in a chilled nonreactive bowl with a whisk or an electric mixer just until the mixture holds a loose peak. (Lift the beater from the cream and look at the shape of the peak at the end of the whisk; it should hold a lazy curve.) Sift the confectioners' sugar over the cream and continue to beat just until it holds a soft peak. Take care not to overbeat the cream or it will be curdy. Refrigerate, covered, for up to 4 hours.
To assemble: When the cake is cool, cut in half with a long serrated knife. Place one half of the chocolate cake on a serving platter or cake stand. Cover the cake with strawberry pie filling (about 1 cup; you will have some left over, which can be refrigerated). Set the other half of the cake on top. Try to match up the ends that have been cut when stacking.
With a pastry bag fitted with a large open star decorating tip, pipe whipped cream mounds on top of the cake. Add sprinkles. Cut the frozen banana bites in half and set on top of the whipped cream. Serve immediately.