What is the traditional base flavor of a banana split’s three scoops?

The traditional three scoops in a banana split are vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.

A classic banana split places a peeled banana split lengthwise in a dish and adds one scoop of each of those flavors. The dessert is usually finished with toppings such as pineapple, chocolate sauce, strawberry sauce, whipped cream, nuts, and a maraschino cherry.

The banana split is commonly credited to David Strickler, a pharmacist’s apprentice who created it in 1904 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Its long dish made it visually distinct from an ordinary ice-cream sundae and helped it become a popular soda-fountain dessert.

Recipes vary widely today, and restaurants may substitute flavors or toppings. The traditional version, however, is identified by the combination of banana with the three classic scoops. The word “split” refers to the banana being cut lengthwise, not to the ice cream being divided.