Young and old will love this mash-up of banana split, ice cream cake and sundae. Make sure to cook the butter in the cake to a deep brown-it should smell very toasty when it’s done, and it will give the cake a rich, nutty flavor. You can make the chocolate sauce a few hours ahead of time and hold it at room temperature.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 6 hr 10 min |
| Prep: | 15 min |
| Inactive: | 5 hr 15 min |
| Cook: | 40 min |
| Yield: | 12 servings |
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 6 hr 10 min |
| Prep: | 15 min |
| Inactive: | 5 hr 15 min |
| Cook: | 40 min |
| Yield: | 12 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup mashed very ripe bananas (from 1 or 2 bananas)
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup firmly-packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 gallon (8 cups) vanilla ice cream, softened
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into large chunks
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 ripe bananas, peeled, halved lengthwise and then halved crosswise
- Sundae toppings: whipped cream, chopped salted peanuts, pretzels, dried banana chips, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, toasted coconut flakes and maraschino cherries
Instructions
- For the banana ice cream cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until nutty brown. Immediately remove from the heat and reserve.
- Whisk the flour with the baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Vigorously whisk the bananas with the browned butter in a large bowl until very well combined and creamy. Whisk the egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla into the banana mixture until smooth.
- Fold the flour mixture into the banana mixture with a rubber spatula until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread to cover completely; the layer will be thin. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Cool completely on a rack, about 1 hour.
- Spread the ice cream evenly over the banana cake with a rubber spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
- For the chocolate sauce: Combine the chocolate, cream, corn syrup, butter and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk periodically as the mixture comes to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce starts to boil, turn down the heat. Cool 15 minutes before serving. Transfer to a bowl or small pitcher. (Yield: 1 2/3 cups.)
- For the caramelized bananas: Remove the cake from the freezer and let stand at room temperature. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and swirl the pan. When the butter is completely melted, place the banana pieces cut-sides down in one layer in the pan. When they are nicely browned, after 4 to 5 minutes, flip the bananas. Cook until the other sides are browned and the bananas have softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
- To serve, place desired toppings in bowls. Cut squares of the banana cake and divide among serving bowls. Let each person build a sundae with the chocolate sauce, caramelized bananas, and additional toppings.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 532 |
| Total Fat | 31 g |
| Saturated Fat | 19 g |
| Carbohydrates | 61 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 46 g |
| Protein | 6 g |
| Cholesterol | 108 mg |
| Sodium | 185 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 532 |
| Total Fat | 31 g |
| Saturated Fat | 19 g |
| Carbohydrates | 61 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 46 g |
| Protein | 6 g |
| Cholesterol | 108 mg |
| Sodium | 185 mg |