Where end-of-summer treats are concerned, there’s nothing better than a nice cold, creamy banana split.

Unless, perhaps, it’s a homemade cake.
Now, imagine a recipe that combines these two taste treats into one. Gloria Snyder has such a recipe and
she’s willing to share it today.
"It came all the way from Joplin, Mo.," Snyder said of her recipe for Banana Split Cake.
"I got it a couple of years ago."
Snyder, who is one of three bread bakers on staff at the Bowling Green Wal-Mart, owes her culinary find
to a co-worker, department manager Linda Mathes.
"Every time we had a potluck or something at work she brought it in, so eventually I just asked her
if I could have the recipe so I could make it for myself."
Mathes, who acquired the recipe from her mother back in Joplin, was happy to share it.
The dessert makes friends everywhere it shows up.
"Everybody that tastes it absolutely loves it," Snyder said. "And why wouldn’t they?"

First, there’s the beautiful appearance with those chopped nuts and maraschino cherries scattered on top.

Next, there’s the rich, yet light, layered flavor as the tongue registers whipped cream, banana,
pineapple, filling and graham cracker base, in turn.
"This is a good recipe to make during summer because you don’t need to turn your oven on,"
Snyder added.
The dessert yielded the same enthusiastic reaction most recently when she debuted it at a potluck garden
gathering of her north-of-Bowling Green neighbors.
Snyder is originally from Tiffin. She and her husband moved to Bowling Green decades ago, in 1963, when
his employer, a supermarket chain, "transferred him up here."
They raised two children, now grown and living in Jerry City and Newark, Ohio, who in turn have given the
Snyders four grandchildren.
Neither the children nor grandkids have tasted her banana split cake yet, but they’re going to get their
chance in the near future.
"I’ll make it, probably at the next family reunion I go to, which is going to be soon."
The cake is not at all hard to make, although it can’t be whipped together in 10 minutes.
"As a rookie it took me about an hour to make. I don’t imagine it takes Linda as long."
Snyder has two vital hints for others who plan to make it.
First, the pineapple needs to be drained thoroughly before being added to the pan.
Second, when beating the powdered sugar, egg and oleo mixture, make sure to keep the mixer on for the
full 15 minutes.
"The first time I made it I only beat it 11-12 minutes. It tasted fine, but it just didn’t set up as
well as with the full 15 minutes." So, for the sake of appearance, don’t take a short cut here.
Snyder doesn’t consider herself a person obsessed by cooking, but she does love her day job.
"When I started at Wal-Mart I was a department manager and when we went to Super Center three years
ago," she said of Bowling Green’s new, larger store, "I decided I wanted to transfer" to
the bakery.
"I love what I do; I guess not everybody can say that."
The creativity her job demands is the best aspect.
"We used to make knots, mounds and French flips." Lately, she and the other two bakers find
their rolls, split-top garlic bread, pepperoni bread and cheese bread are in great demand.
Aside from her job as a bread baker, Snyder has been a Mary Kay cosmetics saleswoman for 13 years.
Banana split cake
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick oleo, melted
2 sticks oleo, softened
2 cups powered sugar
2 eggs
3-5 sliced bananas
1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained
1 8-oz. tub Cool Whip
3/4 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or other)
12 maraschino cherries
Mix graham cracker crumbs with 1 stick of melted oleo and pat in bottom of 9-by-13 pan.
Combine powdered sugar, eggs and 2 sticks of softened oleo. Beat for a full 15 minutes on medium speed,
then spread mixture over crumbs.
Add, in succeeding layers, the sliced bananas and crushed pineapple. Cover with Cool Whip. Scatter
chopped nuts over top. Cut maraschino cherries in half and place cherry halves in four rows of six over
the Cool Whip.