Easy Banana Split Dump Cake made with bananas, chocolate, pineapple, and cake mix—no mixing required. A fun, crowd-pleasing dessert that tastes just like a classic banana split.
This Banana Split Dump Cake takes everything you love about a classic banana split and turns it into an easy, oven-baked dessert. With sweet bananas, juicy pineapple, rich chocolate, and a buttery cake topping, it’s a no-mix recipe that comes together in minutes and disappears just as fast.
You might also like to try No Bake Banana Split Cake Recipe, Melted Ice Cream Cake and Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe.
Table of contents
Why We Love This
- Classic banana split flavor. An easy, baked dessert that tastes just like the real thing.
- No mixing required. Perfect for busy days or last-minute treats.
- Simple pantry ingredients. Made with items you likely already have on hand.
- Great for sharing. Ideal for potlucks, parties, and family gatherings.
- Easy to customize. Add nuts, cherries, or extra chocolate for your twist.
Ingredients
- Strawberry Pie Filling. We love strawberry, but cherry pie filling works too.
- Crushed Pineapple. Use crushed for the right banana split texture.
- White Cake Mix. Any brand will do.
- Butter. Cut into pieces for easy layering on top of the cake.
- Chopped Walnuts. Make sure they are chopped for even distribution.
- Sliced Bananas. Add just before serving for freshness.
- Chocolate Syrup. Use Hershey’s or Homemade Chocolate Fudge Recipe.
- Vanilla Ice Cream. Optional, but delicious when serving. Try No Churn Vanilla Ice Cream.
- Whipped Topping. Dollop on each serving; Homemade Whipped Cream is delicious.
- Maraschino Cherries. Adds an authentic banana split touch.
- Sprinkles. Rainbow sprinkles make it fun and festive.
Find the complete list of ingredients at the bottom of the page.
Variations
- Different pie fillings. Swap strawberry for cherry, raspberry, or even mixed berry for a new twist.
- Nut options. Use pecans, almonds, or skip nuts altogether if preferred.
- Chocolate choices. Try milk chocolate syrup, white chocolate drizzle, or even mini chocolate chips.
- Cake mix flavors. Yellow or butter cake mix works well if you want a slightly different base.
- Fruit additions. Add fresh strawberries, raspberries, or even a few pineapple chunks on top.
- Toppings. Sprinkle with coconut, crushed cookies, or toffee bits for extra texture.
- Ice cream variations. Try chocolate, strawberry, or banana-flavored ice cream instead of vanilla.
Step By Step Instructions
- Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 350. While the oven is warming up, you can prepare the cake.
- Step 2 – Add the pie filling and fruit. Spread the strawberry pie filling into the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Then top it with the can of crushed pineapple.
- Step 3 – Sprinkle the cake mix evenly on top of the pineapple. Slice the butter into small pieces and put the butter pats evenly on top of the dump cake mixture. Try to cover the entire top of the dry cake mix with thin pats of butter. Don’t stir the square pats together but place on top.
- Step 4 – Sprinkle the chopped walnuts on top of the butter. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the top of the cake is browned and the cake is bubbly.
- Step 5 – Serve and enjoy. Serve warm topped with the sliced bananas, chocolate syrup, ice cream, whipped topping, cherries and sprinkles. Enjoy!
Storage
Cover the banana dump cake with plastic wrap. Store the leftover cake covered at room temperature for up to 3-5 days. If you live in a humid area, refrigerate the leftovers.
The cake can be frozen but only the plain cake without any toppings. If freezing, wrap in plastic wrap and foil.
Leave in the freezer up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge when ready to serve.
Topping Ideas
- Chocolate Chips
- Wet Walnuts
- Chopped peanuts
- Sliced Bananas
- Chocolate Syrup
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Whipped Topping
- Maraschino Cherries
- Sprinkles
- Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe can be made up to 2 days in advance. Just put the cake in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
Do not add any of the toppings in advance though. You do not want it to get soggy.
Banana split dump cake can be left at room temperature up to 5 days. It does not need to be refrigerated.
However, if you live in a humid area, it is best to refrigerate the Banana Split Dump Cake Recipe.
Pro Tips
- Cold Butter. Make sure that the butter is cold as it’s easier to cut into slices when it’s cold.
- Cake Mix. White cake mix results in the most traditional banana split flavors but you can use any type you prefer. Some ideas include: yellow, chocolate or strawberry cake mix.
- Pudding mix. Buy a cake mix that does not have pudding mix for best results.
- Topping. Wait to add the toppings until ready to serve so it does not get soggy. We prefer to top each serving with toppings. You can even set out bowls of each topping and let everyone add their favorites.
- Pie Filling. We used store bought pie filling but feel free to make your own.
- 9×13 baking dish. This size is best for the recipe. We do not recommend using a different size. The 9×13 pan gives it the perfect amount of thickness and results in the best texture.
- Oven temperatures. Keep a close eye on the cake as oven temperatures do vary.
- Keep the bananas from browning. You can drizzle lemon juice on top of the banana slices to prevent them from browning. Just add a little bit so they are not too tart.
More Dump Cake Recipes
More Easy Banana Desserts
- Banana Bundt Cake
- Banana Pudding Cookies Recipe
- Homemade Banana Pudding recipe
- Banana Pudding Poke Cake Recipe
If you enjoy ordering a banana split cake, this easy dessert recipe is a must try. Please leave a comment once you make it! I love hearing from you.
Banana Split Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 1 can Strawberry Pie Filling 21 oz
- 1 can crushed Pineapple 20 oz
- 1 box White Cake Mix
- 1/2 cup Butter cut into pieces
- 1 cup Chopped Walnuts
- Sliced Bananas for topping
- Chocolate Syrup for topping
- Vanilla Ice Cream for topping
- Whipped Topping for topping
- Maraschino Cherries for topping
- Sprinkles for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spread the strawberry pie filling into the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Then top it with the can of crushed pineapple.
- Sprinkle the cake mix evenly on top and then slice the butter into small pieces and put the butter pats evenly on top of the cake. Try to cover as much of the top of the cake as possible.
- Sprinkle the chopped walnuts on top and bake for 40-45 minutes until the top of the cake is browned and the cake is bubbly.
- Serve warm topped with the sliced bananas, chocolate syrup, ice cream, whipped topping, cherries and sprinkles. Enjoy!
