No Bake Banana Split Cake
This decadent no bake banana split cake is made with cream cheese filling, sliced bananas, crushed pineapple, and whipped cream and layered with graham crackers.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 4 min
- Yield
- 9 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Gluten Free Vanilla Pudding (or one 3.9 ounce box Jello instant vanilla pudding)
- 1 recipe Gluten Free “Nabisco” Graham Crackers (or 1 pound store-bought gluten free graham crackers)
- 2 tbsp water ((See Recipe Notes))
- 1+1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin ((See Recipe Notes))
- 1+1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (chilled)
- 5/8 cup granulated sugar
- 8 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 1 20- ounce can crushed pineapple in its own juices (drained of all liquid)
- 3 medium ripe (but not overripe) bananas
- Chopped peanuts
- Chocolate sauce
- Maraschino cherries (with stems in their own juice)
Instructions
- 1
Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan with crisscrossed sheets of parchment paper and set it aside.
- 2
Make the instant vanilla pudding according to the recipe instructions.
- 3
Transfer the pudding to a large bowl, place plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding.
- 4
Place in the refrigerator to chill for about 1 hour or until cool to the touch.
- 5
Bloom the gelatin by placing it and the water in a small, heat-safe bowl, and stirring it gently to combine.
- 6
Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature until the gelatin swells.
- 7
Place the gelatin mixture in the microwave and melt at 60% power for 20 seconds until melted. Set the gelatin aside to cool briefly.
- 8
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or a large bowl with a hand mixer, place the chilled cream and 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- 9
Add the cooled gelatin, and beat just until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
- 10
Transfer the whipped cream to another bowl, and set it aside briefly.
- 11
In the same mixer bowl, place the cream cheese and remaining 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, and beat with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- 12
Add about 1/3 of the stabilized whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture, and fold in the whipped cream.
- 13
Set the cream cheese mixture aside.
- 14
Remove the cooled pudding from the refrigerator and peel off the plastic wrap.
- 15
Whisk the pudding until smooth and loose with a handheld whisk.
- 16
Add another third of the stabilized whipped cream to the pudding and fold in the cream.
- 17
Set the pudding mixture aside.
- 18
Cover the bottom of the prepared pan with a layer of graham crackers, breaking them as necessary to evenly cover the surface.
- 19
Top with the cream cheese mixture and spread it into an even layer.
- 20
Top with the crushed and drained pineapple, and spread that into an even layer.
- 21
Slice the bananas, and top with a single layer of banana slices.
- 22
Top with the pudding mixture, spreading the pudding into an even layer.
- 23
Top with a second layer of graham crackers, and then with the remaining stabilized whipped cream.
- 24
Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, and press down gently to help them adhere to the whipped cream.
- 25
Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours to allow the filling to set and the graham crackers to soften.
- 26
Place the cake in the freezer for 15 minutes before removing the entire cake from the pan by pulling up on the parchment paper and setting it on a cutting board.
- 27
Using a large, sharp knife, slice the cake into 9 or 12 equal pieces and serve chilled or frozen topped with chocolate sauce, more banana slices, more chopped peanuts and a few maraschino cherries.