Old Fashioned Banana Flip Snack Cake Recipe {+VIDEO}

Old Fashioned Banana Flips – a nostalgically delicious banana cream sponge cake. Light, moist layers of banana cake filled with fluffy banana cream filling.

If you’re a fan of banana desserts (that aren’t banana bread) you might like our Banana Pudding Poke Cake, Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes, and Easy Banana Creme Brulee.

If you grew up eating Banana Flips, as my husband did, you’re going to love this recipe! For those of us who never experienced the tasty snack cakes, banana flips have the texture of a twinkie, but banana flavored and in a taco shape.

I don’t know about you, but anything filled with fluffy banana cream sandwiched between moist, lightly flavored yellow cake has GOT to be delicious! Right?

These homemade banana flips are cut into squares for a nostalgic hand-held treat making them a perfect little snack cake.

What Are Banana Flips?

Old fashioned Banana Flips were individually packaged snack cakes that gained popularity during the ’60s and ’70s but were discontinued at the turn of the century.

Banana flips looked like a sponge cake taco, a banana cake “shell” with creamy white fluffy banana filling. This banana snack cake was also known for its finger-licking mess factor.

Hostess, Dolly Madison, and Nickles Bakery produced various versions of banana flip snack cake throughout the years. The latter resurrected the beloved banana flip after being gone for more than a decade, but only briefly and in a limited distribution area.

Why You’ll Love Old Fashioned Banana Flip Snack Cakes

• Simple to make using a cake mix and instant pudding.
• It’s easy to make and takes zero cake decorating skills.
• A delightful moist yellow cake with a light, sweet, fluffy banana filling.
• Banana flips create a warm nostalgia.
• Everything you remember about banana flips, sans the taco shape.

Ingredients For This Banana Flip Snack Cake Recipe

(full printable recipe at the end of this post)

For Old Fashioned Banana Flip Cake

All it takes is four simple ingredients for the banana flip cake: yellow cake mix, instant banana pudding, eggs, and milk!

For Fluffy Banana Flip Filling

The creamy banana filling for old-fashioned flip cakes only takes a couple more ingredients but is super easy to whip up. The key is the banana extract. It complements the cream filling quite well.

• All-purpose flour and granulated sugar – If you have concerns about raw (uncooked) flour in the filling, you can cook the flour. Spread the flour onto a baking sheet in an even layer and place in a 350° F oven for 5-7 minutes (watch closely so it doesn’t burn). Allow to the flour cool completely before using it in the recipe.
• Butter and shortening
• Milk
• banana extract
• Powdered sugar for the garnish

How To Make Old Fashioned Banana Flips

Prepare two jelly roll or half sheet baking pans and pre-heat the oven.

Mix the banana flips cake ingredients, divide the batter evenly between the two lined pans, then spread the batter to the edges of the pans.

Bake cakes between 13-15 minutes until done.  Cool completely.

Make banana flips cream filling while the snack cake is baking.

Spread the banana flips filling on one of the cake layers all the way to the edges using an offset/angled cake spatula.

Place second cake layer carefully over banana cream filling and refrigerate for at least an ½ hour.

Cut into squares after the banana flips are chilled, serve or place in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Garnish chilled banana flips with powdered sugar right before serving.

Variations & Add-Ins For Banana Flips

• You can substitute coconut oil for shortening if you prefer.
• Add toasted coconut or pecan pieces to the banana cream filling.
• Go “bananas” and drizzle dark chocolate on the cakes.
• For more banana flavor, use 2 teaspoons of banana extract.
• You can also make banana flips in whoopie pie pans instead of layer cake cut it into squares.
• For a fancier version, top servings with whipped cream, banana slices, and toasted pecans or almonds.

Old Fashioned Banana Flips Snack Cake Tips:

• Read through the entire recipe before starting.
• You’ll want to use the larger jelly roll pans or half sheet cake baking pans to get more banana flips.
• Cut a large piece of cardboard and cover it in foil for a work area to construct cooled banana flip cakes.
• Old fashioned banana flip cakes are best if served chilled.
• Banana flips are moist and tend to absorb the powdered sugar garnish, so sprinkle the sugar right before serving.
• Store leftover banana flip cakes in an airtight container.

Old Fashioned Banana Flips FAQs

Why are banana flip cakes called snack cakes?

In the simplest terms, banana flips are usually handheld when eaten, so they fall into the snack cake variety. Secondarily, the commercial version was sold as a single serving, individually wrapped treat/snack.

Besides being a great excuse to check out my Easy Gingerbread Snack Cake post, there’s a whole section on “what is a snack cake” if you’d like to delve a bit deeper.

Where to buy banana flips?

This question was, has been, and is still being asked to this day! In all fairness, I have to tell you a not-so-well-known fact that there is a bakery out there that is currently making old-fashioned banana flips.

BUT! I challenge you to make this old-fashioned banana flip recipe yourself! There is no need to spend a good chunk of change to purchase four banana flips (the shipping almost doubles the cost)!

Come back and let me know what you think! I’d really like to see if you feel these old-fashioned banana flips are as good as the commercial product! (My husband’s vote is YES!)

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Originally posted in January 2012. UPDATED March 2022. We spiffed up this post with more info and better pictures! No changes to the original recipe.