Caramel Banana Icebox Cake Recipe

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Back in the day when refrigerators were called iceboxes, a brilliant dessert trend that required no oven at all took the culinary world by storm: the icebox cake. This no-bake dessert is typically made by layering cookies or graham crackers with layers of creamy fillings, all stacked in a baking dish that chills and produces sliceable layers. Icebox cakes are sweet, creamy, and crunchy all in one bite, and they are the perfect solution when it's too hot to turn on the oven. In this caramel banana icebox cake recipe, I borrow a bananas Foster-inspired technique by sizzling the bananas in brown sugar and butter to take on a toffee-like flavor before layering them into the cake. We're pairing the caramelized bananas with cool banana pudding and fluffy whipped topping, then adding drizzles of caramel sauce to finish things off.

I love a dessert that can be made ahead, and an icebox cake is definitely one that you'll want to plan to make in advance since it requires at least 6 hours of chill time. Even though this icebox cake does involve a little stovetop cooking, it's worth that little bit of cook time (and, no, you won't have to turn on the oven at all).

To make this recipe, you'll of course need some bananas. When selecting them, choose bananas that are bright yellow without any brown spots. Firm bananas will hold their shape in the skillet, while overly ripe bananas will get mushy in the cooking process. From the dry goods area, pick up a couple of boxes of instant banana cream pudding, graham crackers, and caramel sauce or syrup. Hit up the refrigerated and freezer aisles for whole milk, unsalted butter, and frozen whipped topping (like Cool Whip). It's important to avoid substituting a plant-based milk in this recipe because it will keep the pudding from thickening properly. The final ingredients you'll need are brown sugar and salt.

Add the pudding mix and milk to a large bowl.

Beat the pudding mix and milk until combined and starting to thicken, about 2 minutes. Put in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Slice the bananas into ½-inch slices.

Add ¼ cup of the melted butter, ¼ cup of the brown sugar, and ¼ teaspoon of salt to a large skillet and cook on medium heat until melted and bubbling, about 3 minutes.

Add half of the banana slices in a single layer and cook without moving until the undersides are golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Flip and cook the banana slices for 2 more minutes.

Transfer the bananas to a large plate and repeat the cooking process with the remaining melted butter, brown sugar, salt, and banana slices.

Fold 1 container of the whipped topping into the pudding mixture.

Spread about 1 cup of the pudding mixture over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Arrange a single layer of graham crackers over the pudding, breaking sheets as needed to fill gaps.

Spread half of the remaining pudding mixture over the graham crackers.

Top the pudding with a single layer of cooled banana slices.

Repeat with another layer, adding graham crackers, then pudding, then more bananas.

Spread the remaining container of whipped topping over the cake.

Drizzle the caramel sauce or syrup over the whipped topping

Cover loosely, without letting the cover touch the topping, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Slice and serve the cake, optionally garnishing with fresh banana slices, crushed graham cracker crumbs, and more caramel sauce.

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Slicing an icebox cake can be intimidating since the layers are so incredibly fluffy, so here are some tips to make the slicing go smoothly. To start, don't cut the chilling time short. Six hours is the absolute minimum, but overnight is best to ensure the cake fully sets. You can also pop the cake into the freezer about a 30 minutes before cutting into it, which will help it stay a bit firmer once you start slicing.

Use a large, sharp, non-serrated knife that has been dipped in hot water and dried. This will help the knife glide easily through the layers and keep things clean. Cut straight down in small movements rather than sawing the knife back and forth. The knife will pick up lots of cake as you cut, so take a moment to wipe the blade clean in between slices.

When scooping a slice out of the baking dish, use a thin, flexible spatula. The first slice is usually quite messy and won't be picture perfect, but it will still taste great. After that first slice is out, the other pieces should come out cleaner. As a final note, even if your layers blend together, and you have trouble keeping the slices firm, the cake will still taste delicious. You can always opt to serve it cake slices in small bowls, like you would ice cream, instead of cake plates.

There are many ways to dress up this caramel banana icebox cake if you feel like getting fancy. Chopped nuts add a crunchy contrast to the creamy cake. Try chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, or for even more sweetness, make a batch of candied walnuts. Toffee bits also add a nice crunch and complement the caramelized bananas. Or, crush a Heath bar for the same effect. Another crunchy idea is dried banana chips — you can either decorate with whole chips or crush them for topping.

A simple upgrade is to add a dusting of flaky sea salt over the caramel drizzle on top for a delicious sweet and salty combination. Instead of topping with graham cracker crumbs, a nice twist is to swap in crushed vanilla wafers. Chocolate pairs well with banana, so you can bring that flavor element in with lots of options. Scatter chocolate chips on the top of the icebox cake or decorate with chocolate ribbons. If you know you prefer chocolate over caramel, sub chocolate sauce or chocolate syrup as the final drizzle.

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