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Banana Split Trifles

written by Ashley Fehr

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5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 10

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Last updated on June 29, 2021

These Banana Split Trifles are made with white cake, vanilla pudding, bananas, strawberries and pineapple. Topped with whipped cream, nuts and a cherry, they are the perfect summer treat!

banana split trifle in mason jar with whipped cream

Table of Contents

Banana Splits are one of the quintessential desserts of summer, and these easy trifles are one of my favorite way to do them up!

True, there’s no ice cream, but without the cream they are perfectly portable and great for picnics and barbecues!

I love making these in mason jars (large or small!) so that individual servings are ready to grab and go.

banana split trifle in jar with no whipped cream

Ingredients and Substitutions:

  • Vanilla cake mix: I’ll admit, I’m not much of a cake mix baker these days, but when I first published these in 2015 with a blog, a full time job, and a toddler, I took shortcuts where needed! Feel free to swap in a homemade vanilla cake that you love (or hey, even store bought!)
  • Vanilla pudding: Taking a shortcut on the cake gives us more time to make homemade pudding, and it’s worth it! That being said, a vanilla pudding mix is an easy swap when needed.
  • Fruit: there are a few different variations on the Banana Split, but I chose to use bananas, strawberries and pineapple for my added flavors here. Feel free to swap them out with another fruit (try raspberries in place of strawberries!), or add in some chocolate sauce for extra indulgence.
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Can I make this in one large bowl?

Absolutely!

Simply create your layers in a large glass trifle bowl or any large glass bowl will do.

You can even layer it up in a 9×13″ pan for easy serving if you wish!

close up of banana split trifle with whipped cream

Can I make them ahead?

Because the bananas brown quickly (even when brushed with lemon or pineapple juice), I prefer not to make them more than a few hours in advance.

There’s nothing wrong with eating brown bananas, so you can make it earlier, but they just won’t be as pretty.

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Banana Split Trifles

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 4 votes
These Banana Split Trifles are made with vanilla cake cubes, pudding, bananas, pineapple and strawberries.
banana split trifle in mason jar with whipped cream
Review
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Dessert
Servings 10
Calories 503cal

Ingredients

  • 1 vanilla cake mix prepared according to package directions cooled and cubed

Vanilla pudding:

  • 4 cups milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 6 tbsp corn starch
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbsp butter

To assemble:

  • 4 cups fresh strawberries chopped
  • 4 cups fresh pineapple chopped
  • 4 bananas sliced
  • 2-3 cups prepared whipped topping
  • 8-10 cherries

Instructions

To make vanilla pudding:

  • In a large pot, bring milk to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring often (you don’t want the milk to scorch).
  • In a medium bowl, combine sugar, corn starch, salt, and vanilla. When milk is nearly boiling, whisk in the sugar mixture and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in butter. The pudding will continue to thicken as it cools. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

To assemble:

  • Layer trifle in this order: cake, bananas, pudding (cooled to room temperature), pineapple, strawberries.
  • I like to do 2 layers of this, then top with whipped cream and cherries – you can obviously adjust to your tastes!
  • Chill until ready to serve. You can store in the refrigerator for a couple days if you need to, but I wouldn’t leave it too long because you want your fruit as fresh as possible.

Notes

*When making trifle, I like to work with the pudding before it’s chilled and set, this way it sinks into the cake layer more.
*I like to brush banana slices with lemon juice to prevent browning. You could also use pineapple juice!
*This recipe will make 8-10 trifles, depending on the size.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 503cal | Carbohydrates: 100g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 550mg | Potassium: 519mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 66g | Vitamin A: 315IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 254mg | Iron: 1.6mg
Keywords trifle

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  4. Jocelyn @BruCrew Life says

    Cake for lunch is definitely a fun perk of being a food blogger. Fun but dangerous. LOL! These are absolutely gorgeous!! There is something about that banana split flavor combo that I just adore too!!!

    Reply

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