Some desserts are pure, unadulterated fun, and this Banana Split Dump Cake is exactly that. It captures all the nostalgic joy of a classic ice cream parlour treat and transforms it into a warm, gooey, shareable dessert that comes together with astonishingly little effort. It’s a riot of sweet pineapple, creamy banana, and bright cherries, all tucked under a golden, buttery cake topping that gets a wonderful crunch from toasted walnuts and melted chocolate chips. It’s the kind of dessert that feels both special and incredibly welcoming at the same time.

My kids absolutely devour this every time I make it; their eyes light up when they see the cherries and sprinkles on top. It’s become my go-to recipe for family get-togethers and last-minute potlucks because it uses mostly pantry staples and is virtually foolproof. We layer everything directly into the baking dish, pop it in the oven, and let the magic happen. The result is a stunningly delicious banana dessert that tastes like it took hours to prepare, but it will be our little secret that it didn’t. For something a bit more elegant but equally delightful, you might also enjoy my Rose Gold Cake Recipe Elegant Dessert.

Recipe Overview

This Banana Split Dump Cake recipe delivers the quintessential flavours of its namesake sundae in a warm, baked form. Expect a soft, sweet fruit layer at the bottom with distinct notes of pineapple and banana, punctuated by the classic taste of maraschino cherries. This is topped with a tender, buttery cake that forms its own delicious crust, studded with crunchy nuts and pockets of melted chocolate. I’ve found that sprinkling the cake mix evenly is the key to avoiding dry patches, ensuring every spoonful is perfect.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Servings: 8-10 people
• Difficulty: Easy

Why You’ll Love This Banana Split Dump Cake

• Genuine Flavour: It genuinely tastes like a warm, deconstructed banana split. The crushed pineapple provides a sweet, juicy base, the banana slices become wonderfully soft and creamy, and the cherries add that iconic pop of flavour and colour.
• Ready in Under an Hour: With only 10 minutes of hands-on preparation, this dessert is in the oven and ready to serve in about 60 minutes. It’s ideal when you want a homemade treat without a huge time commitment.
• Flexible Recipe: This recipe is incredibly adaptable. You can easily swap the walnuts for pecans or even slivered almonds. No yellow cake mix? A white or even a chocolate cake mix will work beautifully, creating a different but equally tasty fruit cake.
• Great for Casual Gatherings: It works beautifully for a relaxed Sunday dinner, a neighbourhood barbecue, or any occasion where you need a dessert that everyone seems to love. It travels well, too!
• Family Tested: I’ve been making this for over 2 years, and it never disappoints. It’s one of the most requested banana desserts in my house and always gets compliments from friends and family.

Banana Split Dump Cake

⏱️ 15 min prep  •  🍳 50 min cook  •  👥 12 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity and reliance on pantry staples. For the cake mix, I prefer to use a brand like Betty Crocker Super Moist as I find it gives a consistently tender and buttery result. Make sure your bananas are ripe but still firm enough to hold their shape during baking.

• 1 tin (567g) crushed pineapple in juice, well-drained
• 3 medium ripe bananas, sliced into 1cm rounds
• 1 jar (280g) maraschino cherries, drained and halved
• 1 box (432g) yellow cake mix
• 225g unsalted butter, melted
• 100g chopped walnuts or pecans
• 100g milk or dark chocolate chips
• Rainbow sprinkles, for topping (optional)

Ashley’s Tip: Don’t press all the liquid out of the pineapple when draining it. A little residual juice helps to create a lovely syrupy fruit layer at the bottom of the dish without making the cake topping soggy.

How to Make Banana Split Dump Cake

The process for this dump cake recipe is all about layering. There’s no mixing bowl required for the cake itself—we just assemble everything directly in the baking dish. It’s a straightforward method that produces a wonderfully complex dessert.

1. Preheat and Prepare: First, preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) baking dish with a little butter or cooking spray.
2. Create the Fruit Base: Spread the well-drained crushed pineapple evenly across the bottom of the prepared dish. This will be our juicy first layer.
3. Add the Bananas and Cherries: Arrange the sliced bananas in a single layer over the pineapple. Then, scatter the halved maraschino cherries evenly over the bananas.
4. Sprinkle the Cake Mix: Open the box of yellow cake mix and sprinkle the dry mix as evenly as possible over the fruit layers. Try to cover all the fruit right to the edges of the dish.
5. Add the Nuts and Chocolate: Scatter the chopped walnuts and chocolate chips over the dry cake mix.
6. Drizzle with Butter: Slowly and evenly drizzle the melted butter all over the top of the cake mix. I find that this is the most crucial step for a perfect topping. Try to cover as much of the dry mix as you can to ensure it all bakes into a golden, buttery crust.
7. Bake Until Golden: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45-55 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the top is a deep golden brown and the fruit juices are bubbling vigorously around the edges.
8. Rest and Garnish: Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. This allows the molten fruit layer to set up a bit. Just before serving, add a flourish of rainbow sprinkles if you’re using them.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Even Butter Distribution: For a perfectly crisp, even topping, ensure the melted butter covers as much of the dry cake mix as possible. Any large dry patches won’t bake properly and will taste powdery. Take your time with this step.
• The Secret Step: I learned that letting the cake rest after baking is non-negotiable. Serving it straight from the oven results in a very soupy dessert. That 15-minute rest allows the fruit layer to thicken, making each portion hold its shape beautifully.
• Make-Ahead: While you can’t assemble the entire cake ahead of time (the cake mix will get soggy), you can prepare the fruit layer. Just layer the pineapple, bananas, and cherries in your baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 4 hours before you’re ready to bake.
• Storage: Leftovers are fantastic! Store the cooled cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30-45 seconds until warm. It tastes just as good the next day.

Equipment You’ll Need

You don’t need any fancy gadgets for this straightforward recipe. Here are the basics that will help you get it right:

• 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) baking dish
• Spatula or large spoon
• Sieve or colander (for draining fruit)
• Small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl (for melting butter)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Uneven Cake Topping: Don’t just pour the cake mix into the centre of the dish. Shaking the box gently while moving it back and forth over the fruit ensures an even layer. This prevents dense, undercooked spots and dry, powdery patches.
• Forgetting to Drain the Fruit: The tinned pineapple and jarred cherries contain a lot of liquid. If you don’t drain them well, your dump cake will become watery and the topping will struggle to get crisp.
• Serving Too Soon: As mentioned in my tips, patience is key. The molten fruit lava at the bottom needs time to cool and set slightly. Skipping the rest time means you’ll be serving a soupy puddle instead of a sliceable, scoopable cake.

Delicious Variations to Try

Once you’ve mastered the classic, feel free to get creative! This recipe is a fantastic base for experimentation.

• Tropical Twist: Swap the cherries for a tin of drained mandarin orange segments and add 50g of desiccated coconut to the topping along with the nuts. It gives the cake a lovely tropical flavour.
• Chocolate Lover’s Version: Use a chocolate fudge cake mix instead of yellow. The rich chocolate flavour pairs exceptionally well with the banana and cherry for a more decadent dessert.
• Berry Banana Dump Cake: Replace the pineapple with 300g of frozen mixed berries (thawed and drained). The combination of berries and banana is a classic for a reason. If you’re looking for another unique fruit dessert, my Carrot Halwa Recipe Indian Dessert is a fantastic choice.

What to Serve With Banana Split Dump Cake

This dessert is rich and satisfying on its own, but a few simple accompaniments can elevate it even further.

• Vanilla Ice Cream: A generous scoop is almost mandatory. It melts into the warm cake, creating a creamy, luscious sauce that perfectly complements the fruit.
• Freshly Whipped Cream: For a lighter option, a dollop of unsweetened or lightly sweetened whipped cream cuts through the richness of the cake.
• A Hot or Cold Drink: This dessert goes beautifully with a simple cup of tea or coffee. On a warm day, a glass of cold milk or an Instant Coffee Iced Coffee is also a great pairing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Banana Split Dump Cake

An incredibly easy dessert inspired by the classic banana split, featuring layers of pineapple, banana, and cherries, topped with cake mix, nuts, and a rich, buttery crust.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 435

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 tin 567g crushed pineapple in juice, well-drained
• 3 medium ripe bananas sliced into 1cm rounds
• 1 jar 280g maraschino cherries, drained and halved
• 1 box 432g yellow cake mix
• 225 g unsalted butter melted
• 100 g chopped walnuts or pecans
• 100 g milk or dark chocolate chips
• Rainbow sprinkles for topping (optional)

Method

 

1. Preheat and Prepare: First, preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) baking dish with a little butter or cooking spray.
2. Create the Fruit Base: Spread the well-drained crushed pineapple evenly across the bottom of the prepared dish. This will be our juicy first layer.
3. Add the Bananas and Cherries: Arrange the sliced bananas in a single layer over the pineapple. Then, scatter the halved maraschino cherries evenly over the bananas.
4. Sprinkle the Cake Mix: Open the box of yellow cake mix and sprinkle the dry mix as evenly as possible over the fruit layers. Try to cover all the fruit right to the edges of the dish.
5. Add the Nuts and Chocolate: Scatter the chopped walnuts and chocolate chips over the dry cake mix.
6. Drizzle with Butter: Slowly and evenly drizzle the melted butter all over the top of the cake mix. I find that this is the most crucial step for a perfect topping. Try to cover as much of the dry mix as you can to ensure it all bakes into a golden, buttery crust.
7. Bake Until Golden: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45-55 minutes. You'll know it's ready when the top is a deep golden brown and the fruit juices are bubbling vigorously around the edges.
8. Rest and Garnish: Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. This allows the molten fruit layer to set up a bit. Just before serving, add a flourish of rainbow sprinkles if you’re using them.

Notes

Best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

This Banana Split Dump Cake is all about bringing joy and a touch of nostalgia to your table with minimal fuss. It’s a warm, comforting, and wonderfully fun dessert that I truly hope you and your family will love as much as we do. Give it a try, and please let me know how it turns out in the comments below. I love hearing about your kitchen adventures! Happy baking, Ashley.