Banana Split Cake

Don't you just love a big heaping banana split in the summer time with that luscious combination of flavors? You know - banana on the bottom, three scoops of vanilla ice cream each with a different topping -- chocolate syrup, strawberries and pineapple.  

Well, this week as I kept passing these over ripe bananas on the counter, I tried to decide what I could use them for, other than banana bread or a milkshake. I already had made two loaves of banana bread. I peeked in the pantry to see if I had anymore quick bread mixes - banana or otherwise to throw them into. I had apple cinnamon mix. No. Cornbread mix. Definitely no. Carrot cake. No. Blueberry muffin mix. Maybe. Brownies. Nah. Then I noticed a chocolate devil's food cake mix. Hey, bananas and chocolate are a wonderful combination. I whipped up the cake mix and mashed up a couple bananas and put the batter in a 9 X 13 pan and popped it in the oven.

As it was cooking and I was smelling it, banana splits came to mind. So, I thought about what I had on hand to top it with. I checked the freezer for Cool Whip. No dice. I did have some vanilla frosting, though. And I had fresh strawberries. And some pineapple tidbits. And chocolate syrup. So, everything that would make up a banana split, minus the ice cream.

1 box chocolate devil's food cake mix (plus ingredients to prepare as directed)

2 over ripe bananas

1 container Cool Whip or vanilla frosting

chocolate syrup

strawberries

pineapple tidbits

Prepare cake as directed. Add mashed banana. Cook as directed. After it cools, add a layer of vanilla frosting or Cool Whip. Then add layer of strawberry slices and drizzle with chocolate syrup. Add a spoonful of pineapple tidbits to each slice.

And if you really want to, I suppose a big scoop of vanilla ice cream with it wouldn't hurt, either. :)