If just looking at this mini banana split cake seems like it is putting on a few pounds, well, you are probably right. It’s got all the bells and whistles a banana split ought to have, minus the ice cream. I’ll tell it like it is, and there is nothing healthy about this cake, except for the bananas of course.
Even though I have drastically cut down the baking lately in order to lose those pregnancy pounds lingering around, sometimes I can’t help but bake something for a special occasion. Enter this voluptuous banana split cake. Hey, at least I made it mini. A full-sized banana split cake would be way too dangerous!
This weekend we are celebrating my baby girl’s 4 month birthday ( can you believe it!? where is the time going? ) and my 5th year anniversary of moving to the city and into this apartment building. So where was I five years ago?
Five years ago I was a bright-eyed, newly-engaged first-year pharmacy student moving to a new, big city. I still remember the first time I saw the view of the massive golden gate bridge surrounded by fog to the west, and the beautiful downtown San Francisco skyline to the east. These views gave San Francisco such a majestic feeling, that would never fade for me.
Fast-forward five years, I graduated pharmacy school, got married, had a baby, and started a food blog, all in the same apartment building! A lot has happened in five years, which is a good enough reason to celebrate with this banana split cake.
The banana cake is super moist, due to a little trick you will find in the recipe. It is then cooled and topped with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, sprinkles, sliced almonds and a cherry. You can make the banana cake ahead of time in ramekins and bring them plus the toppings to a gathering or dinner party and let your friends decorate them the way they want!
Go ahead and add your favorite ice cream, if you dare…
- ¼ cup butter, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1⁄2 cup buttermilk
- 1 large ripe banana, chopped
- Toppings (fresh sliced banana, whipped cream, fudge, sprinkles, sliced almonds, cherries)
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
- Grease four 4-inch ramekins and set aside.
- Add butter and sugar to a stand mixer (or beat with hand mixer) and blend until creamy.
- Add the egg and vanilla and keep mixing on low speed.
- Add half of the flour and all of the baking soda and salt, then add half of the buttermilk. Add the remaining flour and buttermilk, and blend until smooth.
- Add the chopped banana and turn the mixer on high for 5 seconds to "mash" the bananas better.
- Pour the batter into the ramekins until they are half full, then bake for 45 minutes (until edges begin to brown and a toothpick comes out clean).
- Immediately transfer to the freezer for 30 minutes, then run a butter knife around the ramekin edges and remove the cake.
- Decorate with toppings.
- Makes 4 4-inch mini cakes
I love this! I also love that its mini. Then I won’t feel so bad about eating one. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Exactly! 😀
This cake looks so, so good! Pretty amazing you still live in the same place yet have accomplished so much.
Thank you, Laura!
I’m riding the mini dessert train right now. This looks incredible — thanks for sharing!
I can’t ever get enough of mini desserts :p
Kristianna, you seem like a very talented chef and photographer. Banana split cake looks so luscious!