Got Overripe Bananas? Banana Split Bundt Cake

I will be the first person to admit that I love bananas. They are one of my favorite fruits – but, I love them when they are still slightly green. When they start getting soft they do not appeal (heh) to me as much. Therefore I sometimes end up with overripe bananas because they will sit on the counter until I realize that I had better do something with them. Recently I learned to use frozen bananas in a delicious smoothie. It is no surprise to regular readers I am sure that baking is my prefered way to deal with leftover bananas. One of the most popular recipes on the blog is for chocolate banana bundt cake. OK, I guess I have a thing for bundt cakes.

I had some leftover bananas this week and I was trying to decide what to make and I realized I also had some pineapple. Knowing I also had cherries and strawberries in the freezer the idea of a banana split bundt cake popped into my head! I used a classic banana cake recipe as a starting point and embellished from there.

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Banana Split Bundt Cake

Serves 10 – 12

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 cup sour cream
2 ripe bananas mashed
2 cups quartered strawberries

For the Ganache

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 TBS confectioner’s sugar

For the Nut Brittle:

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1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp unsalted butter, cold
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup pistachio nuts
1/4 tsp salt

For Garnish:

4 to 6 pieces of pineapple, fresh or canned plus more for serving if desired
4 to 6 cherry halves, bing or maraschino plus more for serving if desired
whipped cream

Make the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350
Butter and flour a 10 cup bundt pan
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside
Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached. Beat on medium high until creamy, about 3 minutes.
Add the sugar and and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time beating well after each. Pour in the vanilla and beat until combined.
Remove the strawberries to a small bowl and take about 2 TBS of the reserved flour mixture and sprinkle over the fruit and stir to coat. Set aside.
Reduce the speed to low and add the mashed, overripe bananas, mixing until combined. Turn off mixer.
Add half of the flour and turn on mixer to low beating until just combined.
Mix in sour cream, then remaining flour until the batter just comes together

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Remove the bowl from the stand and fold in the strawberries until combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top
Bake in the preheated oven for 65 to 75 minutes until a tester comes out clean
Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes then remove from pan to cool completely

While the cake is baking you can make the nut brittle and ganache

Make the Nut Brittle:

Heat a small saute pan over medium heat.
Add the sugar and salt and let melt. Watch carefully as the sugar can go from a lovely caramel to burnt in the blink of an eye.
When the sugar has melted, add the butter – it will spit.
After the butter has melter, turn off the heat and add the nuts, stirring to coat.
Remove the mixture to a heat safe surface; a silicone mat, a cutting board. Let cool then roughly chop.

Make the Ganache:

Add the chopped chocolate and confectioner’s sugar to a heatproof bowl
Warm the heavy cream in a small saucepan until just before boiling.
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate/sugar. Let sit for a minute then stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Set aside.

Decorate the Cake

Place the cake on a rack over a pan or foil or something to catch the excess ganache.

Pour the ganache evenly over the cake.

Take the chopped brittle and distribute over the top of the cake

Alternate pineapple and cherry pieces on top of the brittle
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and additional fruit if desired

Was This a Good Use of Overripe Bananas?

It was indeed. The cake was very moist and had a wonderful banana flavor with the tart strawberries making a themselves known in just about every bite. The rich chocolate ganache acts like a sort of hot fudge like sauce with the cherries, pineapple and whipped cream rounding out the banana split experience. I will note that the nuts lose their crunchiness after a day and do get soft so keep that in mind. I think the next time I make it I will sprinkle them as garnish if the cake is not going to be eaten all at once.

This recipe will become a favorite use of overripe bananas like the chocolate banana cookies I made or the marbled banana cake. So many delicious ways to use those bananas.