Banana Split Cake
I love throwback recipes and anything nostalgic and when Better Homes & Gardens magazine took old recipes and re-tried them in their kitchens to see if they stood the test of time…I knew I had to give it a go as well. The flavors of a banana split are simple, but there is a depth to them. The way the banana flavor pairs so well with strawberry and chocolate and who doesn’t like the way strawberry and chocolate pair?? It’s a match made in heaven. Could it really be true? Could one cake have all the flavors of a banana split in one bite? Let’s find out!
I adapted this recipe from BHG’s Fall 2017 magazine…the Nutella ganache is my little twist.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
Strawberry Batter:
- ¼ cup strawberry preserves (get a super chunky kind – it works so well!)
- couple drops red color coloring
Chocolate Batter:
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Nutella Ganache Topping:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup Nutella Hazelnut Spread (about half a jar)
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1 tablespoon brandy (optional)
For Serving (all optional):
- whipped cream
- maraschino cherries
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan, set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside. In a separate bowl, stir together the mashed bananas, sour cream, milk and vanilla. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar on high, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the wet ingredients, making sure to start and end with the dry. After each addition, mix just until combined.
- Remove about 1 cup of batter into a small bowl and gently fold in the strawberry preserves and food coloring until JUST combined. Don’t overwork your batter.
- In another small bowl, stir together the cocoa, sugar and milk until a thick paste is formed. Remove another 1 cup of original batter and fold it into the chocolate mixture.
- Pour half of the remaining original batter into the prepared bundt pan, spreading it evenly. Pour the strawberry batter on top, taking a toothpick and slightly swirling it in. Pour the chocolate batter on top of the strawberry, again using the toothpick to slightly swirl it in. Finally, top with the remaining original banana batter. Tap the bundt pan on the counter to settle the batter.
(The original recipe said: banana batter, strawberry batter, banana batter, then chocolate batter. I chose to do: banana batter, strawberry batter, chocolate batter, banana batter. I’m glad I layered it in this way – I love the combo of chocolate and strawberry next to each other).
- Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack. Invert onto a plate or platter and allow to cool completely, about 2 hours.
- To make the ganache topping, place the Nutella into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil and pour over the Nutella. Whisk until smooth. Stir in the sea salt and brandy, if desired.
- Let the ganache to cool slightly before either putting it into a piping bag to drizzle over a cake, or alternatively, using a large spoon to drizzle over the cake. Serve with cherries and/or whipped cream if desired.
