The Dish:
All the flavors of a classic banana split in a party-size ice cream dessert that truly takes the cake.
The Tell.
Some recipes take a little more time and planning than others, but the joy they bring to our loved ones makes every step worthwhile. For Bonny, that recipe is Banana Split Ice Cream Birthday Cake.
The special dessert includes a graham cracker base topped with layers of sliced bananas, vanilla ice cream, chopped nuts, a ribbon of fudge, freshly whipped cream, and a dusting of graham cracker crumbs.
Bonny has been making the special-occasion dessert for family birthdays since the 1980s. She typically spreads the making it over three days, freezing each layer overnight before adding the next. Rather than viewing the process as a chore, she enjoys how it builds anticipation for the celebration to come.
“You just feel the love for them as you are making it,” said Bonny, who estimates she has made the cake dozens of times for her husband, children, grandchildren, and now extended family.
“One time I didn’t make it, and the kids were so disappointed. They said, ‘This isn’t even a birthday party!’”
Bonny got the recipe from her sister-in-law back in the 80s, and notes that the original recipe made for a smaller cake that wasn’t as high. When her kids got older and along came the grandkids, Bonny kept adding more ice cream to the cake, and it got bigger and bigger. In fact, she makes it in a large high-sided sheet cake pan in order to get the large, tall pieces her family loves.
Over the years, Bonny has become particular about the ingredients she uses. One time, she purchased different brands while shopping at another store, and her family immediately noticed the difference.
She swears by Nabisco graham crackers and Nestlé Toll House semi-sweet chocolate chips for the recipe. This past January, she put those trusted ingredients to use again when making the cake for her granddaughter’s husband. The verdict from the family? It tasted exactly as it always had.“Somebody else wouldn’t have known the difference,” Bonny laughed. That’s how you know a recipe has become a true family favorite.
Bonny has spent much of her life helping others learn and grow, both as a teacher and a librarian in Marshall, Minnesota, where she has lived since 1969. Family traditions are important to her, and the birthday cake isn’t the only one Bonny has passed down.
For years, she hosted an annual “cookie baking weekend” that grew from a gathering with a friend into a family affair involving children, grandchildren, and thousands of holiday cookies. A favorite memory was when her grandson Jared learned to use the broken spritz cookie press that once belonged to Bonny’s grandmother, with the cookies turning out perfectly!
Whether she’s making spritz cookies, rosettes, or her famous ice cream cake, Bonny proves the best recipes are the ones that bring people together around the table and create memories along the way.
Bonny’s Tips for Banana Split Ice Cream Birthday Cake
- Bonny likes to make the complete recipe in a high-sided sheet cake pan like this one as her family likes big, thick pieces of the dessert. Note: You could also make it in two 9 x 13 pans.
- As noted above, her preferred brands are Nabisco for the graham crackers and Nestle Tollhouse (semi-sweet) chocolate chips.
- For ice cream, Bonny likes to make sure she gets ice cream and not anything less than ice cream. “You want that richness,” she said. “Ice cream dessert does not equal ice cream and may not have enough cream.”
- Bonny insists on freshly whipped cream rather than Cool Whip.
- Bonny serves the cake in large slices on salad plates with forks.