This is one of my favorite desserts (really, see here) and a treasured recipe from my mother that has been in our family since I was very little. The banana flavor is subtle so even if you aren’t a big fan of banana you may still like this unique dessert with an elegant presentation.
We have always kept our banana flips in the refrigerator and I highly recommend that. While there is nothing in the filling that would spoil, the flavors are certainly enhanced when kept cold so refrigerate a bit before serving.
Cake Ingredients
1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 pkg vanilla instant pudding
1 – 1/2 cups milk
4 eggs
Filling Ingredients
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon banana flavoring
powdered sugar for garnish
Directions
Mix cake mix, pudding, mix and eggs.
Beat well.
Grease two jellyroll pans (use 10×15 inch pans for super thick banana flips with extra filling like my mom or use 11×17 inch pans like I did for more banana flips) then put down wax or parchment paper and grease the top AGAIN. Pour batter (approximately 3 cups per pan) into pans. Bake for 10-20 minutes in a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Cool 10 minutes and then remove, keeping cakes on the wax/parchment paper.
Gently whisk milk and flour for filling ingredients.
Heat milk and flour mixture until bubbles (1 bubble is enough!) and it is a glossy paste, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool.
Mix shortening, sugar and banana flavoring. Mix just until it combined and add cool paste. Beat 5 mins or longer on setting 4 or 5 of your stand mixer. (Hand mixer works, it is just a bit of a pain!) It should not be grainy.
Add filling to top of one layer and flip the other to lay over the top like a sandwich.
Sprinkle powdered sugar if desired over the top for garnish and to keep cake from feeling sticky. (You should be able to eat these with your hands like a bar). I used a baking stencil with stripes from IKEA to create this cool effect.
Cut into squares, chill (if desired) and enjoy!
Sounds interesting! I’ll have to try it sometime
Those sound and look so delicious Emilie! Do you ever eat them with real banana slices? I bet that would be extra yummy as a garnish on top especially for a banana lover like me.
Ohh….sounds super yummy! I will have to try this!
Oh that looks so good 🙂 and so yummy!
Cat, I love bananas too, I think I have more recipes with bananas than anything else, knowing me I would probably try to mash one in the filling too. But this does sound so good!
Emilie thanks for sharing with us your favorite and yummy recipe, I love it!!! And I love baking stencils too, they are so cool when making the top of the cake just a bit more special 😉
I know! Baking stencils are so cheap too. At least the ones at IKEA are. I got a set of 5 stencils for only $1.49. Love ’em!
I’m actually not sure how bananas would taste. It is a subtle banana flavor as I said. I think if I did I would use it as a garnish or add them to my individual squares (you can separate the top layer to add it). I got so used to eating them and loving them as is that I haven’t branched out much. As is they are a lot like a big ‘ole homemade twinkie. 🙂
It really sounds very yummy! I want it so bad LOL that I’m thinking this weekend is the one to try it! I’ll post about it when I try it and let you know how it went 😀
This sounds so good! Thanks for the new craving… lol
My pleasure Lindsey! 🙂
OMG that looks SO good. I love banana. It also looks really difficult to make though. I always shy away from anything that is jelly rolled.
Is there a simple way to print the ingredients and instructions without the pictures? I would like to keep in my recipe box. Sounds delicious!
If you use the print feature (right below the title of the post) it should print without the pictures. If it doesn’t work, please let me know! 🙂