The Surprising Controversy Behind The History Of The Banana Split

It's a staple of ice cream parlors all across the country. It's probably healthy because it has fruit in it. If you were thinking about banana splits, you'd be right. Although it sounds pretty basic to make — slice a banana lengthwise and add one scoop each of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream on top, followed by as many toppings as humanely possible — the banana split has earned itself a place in the great and chilly ice cream hall of fame.

Perhaps what's so great about the banana split is that you don't have to follow the classic recipe. As long as you have a banana and some ice cream, you're free to make whatever you want. In some cases, you may not even need the ice cream at all. Paula Deen, for example, has a recipe that converts the beloved sundae into portable cupcakes, while Taste of Home has a suggestion for banana split-flavored banana bread. Whichever way you enjoy your banana split, be it classic, deconstructed, or in the form of a pastry or a loaf, it's no secret that this colorful and giant sundae is something deliciously and uniquely American.

But where exactly does the banana split come from? As the story goes, the invention of the banana split can be laid at the feet of two individuals, with an ongoing debate of who the first one to peel their way to glory was.