Banana Pudding Tiramisu

Honey, let me introduce you to the dessert that’s about to change your whole sweet-eating experience: Banana Pudding Tiramisu. Now, you know I love to take classic recipes and give them a little twist, and this one is no exception. It’s all the goodness of traditional banana pudding merged with the rich, coffee-infused elegance of tiramisu. This banana pudding tiramisu is a fusion that sounds like it came straight out of a dessert fantasy, and trust me, it tastes even better. We’re talking layers of fluffy whipped cream, a velvety blend of cream cheese, and not one, but two kinds of pudding, all cuddled between ladyfingers soaked in a homemade coffee or rum sauce that’ll make you want to lick the spoon clean.

And let’s not skip over the assembly, boos, because that’s where the magic happens when making banana pudding tiramisu. You start with ladyfingers, add slices of fresh banana, and then layer on that luxurious pudding and cream cheese mixture. Repeat the layers, top it all off with more whipped cream, and then sprinkle crumbled vanilla wafers for that crunch we all crave. This Banana Pudding Tiramisu isn’t just a dessert; it’s a downright showstopper, perfect for when you need to impress at potlucks, family gatherings, or just when you’re looking to treat yourself to something special.

The Heart & Soul Of This Banana Tiramisu

Cuisine Inspiration: Southern + Italian Fusion
Primary Cooking Method: Stove and Mixing
Dietary Info: Decadent Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Sweet, creamy, and lots of banana flavor!
AZSkill Level: Beginner-Intermediate

Sweet Spots

• Perfect Dessert Mashup: This amazing dessert combines the popular Southern dessert, Banana Pudding with the Italian classic, Tiramisu for a dish that’s like no other.
• No-Bake Dessert: One step of this recipe requires cooking on the stove but there’s no need for an oven, and most of it is made without much cooking.
• Banana Lovers Unite: You’re going to love the layers of freshly sliced bananas combined with the banana-flavored creamy tiramisu filling.
• Great Summer Dessert But Enjoyable Year Round: This creamy chilled dessert works great on hot summer days for a dessert that’s cooling but suitable for serving whenever your craving for it strikes.
• Ideal to Make Ahead: This dessert benefits from being made ahead of time. It simply tastes better when it has time to sit. This makes it ideal to serve for parties or a crowd since you can assemble it ahead of time allowing you to relax with your guests or work on parts of the menu.

Ingredients for Banana Pudding Tiramisu

• Heavy whipping cream: It’s essential that it’s cold before mixing. The high fat content in heavy whipping cream makes it the gold standard for homemade whipped cream so try to avoid making substitutes as you won’t get the same results.
• Confectioner’s sugar: Works best for sweetening the whipped cream as it easily dissolves into the cream for a silky finish.
• Cream cheese: Adds that classic tang of cheese to the tiramisu. While mascarpone is typically used to make tiramisu I find cream cheese is more budget-friendly and adds a tanginess that works perfectly with the bananas. Be sure to let it warm up to room temperature so it mixes up more easily.
• Milk: Cold whole milk along with sweetened condensed milk helps create a slightly looser texture making it spreadable and also adding some sweetness to the filling.
• Pudding Mix: Instant banana pudding mix along with instant vanilla pudding mix flavor, sweeten, and thicken the tiramisu filling. Make sure it’s instant pudding!
• Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and brings all the flavors together in this ladyfingers dessert.
• Unsalted butter: Gives the rich flavor to the rum sauce we’re using to soak the ladyfingers.
• Rum: Gives the buttery sauce a delicious flavor. If you want to keep it alcohol-free you can also use coffee.
• Light brown sugar: Adds more depth of flavor to the sugary buttery rum sauce than white sugar.
• Ground cinnamon
• Bananas: Sliced bananas are layered on top of the lady fingers creating this incredible mashup of Southern and Italian dishes!
• Ladyfingers: These hard cookies are used in most classic tiramisu recipes. Their texture holds up well the liquid poured on top which softens them without making them soggy.
• Vanilla wafers: These cookies are traditional for any Southern banana pudding recipe!

How to Make Banana Pudding Tiramisu

Step 1: Make the Rum Sauce

1. Adding the Ingredients. Add the butter, rum, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon to a small saucepan.
2. Cooking the Sauce. Mix with a whisk or spoon and bring it to a slight boil.
3. Cooling It. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow it to cool for 20 minutes.

Step 2: Making the Whipped Cream

1. Adding the Cream. Add the heavy cream to the mixing bowl of your stand mixer.
2. Beating the Cream. Beat the heavy cream on high speed until soft peaks develop.  Add in the confectioners’ sugar.
3. Making Stiff Peaks. Continue to beat the sugar and cream mixture until stiff peaks develop. 
4. Storing the Whipped Cream. Remove the whipped cream from the bowl and place in a separate bowl. Cover it and store it in the refrigerator.  

Step 3: Making the Filling

1. Beating the Cream Cheese. Add the cream cheese to the bowl and beat on high until it’s nice and fluffy.
2. Adding the Ingredients. Add the sweetened condensed milk, regular milk, banana pudding mix, vanilla pudding mix, and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl.
3. Beating the Filling. Beat until well incorporated. Stop in between mixing ingredients to use a spatula to mix in the food on the sides of the bowl.

PRO TIP: The pudding at this point should not be too thick. It should be “spreadable”. If it seems too thick add in more cold milk, starting at a quarter cup at a time.

4. Adding the Whipped Cream. Remove the whipped cream from the refrigerator and slowly fold half of the whipped cream into the banana pudding.

Step 4: Assemble the Tiramisu

1. Layering the Ladyfingers: Arrange a full row of ladyfingers on the bottom of a 9×13 baking pan.
2. Adding the Rum Sauce. Pour a quarter of the warm rum sauce over the ladyfingers to soak them.
3. Layering the Bananas. Add the slices of 2 bananas over the ladyfingers.
4. More Rum Sauce. Pour another quarter of the warm rum sauce over the bananas.
5. Adding the Creamy Filling. Spread half of the banana pudding cheese mixture over the top of the bananas and smooth it out.
6. Repeat the Layers. Create another layer by repeating all the steps starting with adding another row of ladyfingers, pouring the rum sauce on the ladyfingers, adding the sliced bananas, pouring the. remaining rum sauce and finally adding the rest of the banana pudding mixture on top.

Step 5: Adding the Final Layers

1. The Whipped Cream. Spread the remaining half of whipped cream over the top of the tiramisu.
2. Crushed Vanilla Wafers. Sprinkle the crumbled wafers over the whipped cream. Place the baking pan in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours before serving.

Tips for Making the Best Banana Pudding Tiramisu

• Use Ingredients at Proper Temperature: Ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature for a smoother, lump-free mixture while the heavy cream needs to be cold so that it whips up into stiff peaks more easily.
• Ripe Bananas: Use ripe bananas for more flavor and sweetness but avoid using bananas that are overly brown or soft. The perfect banana will have a sprinkling of black dots on the peel.
• Gentle Folding: When incorporating the whipped cream, fold it in gently to keep the mixture light and airy.
• Be Patient: Allow enough chilling time for your banana tiramisu. This gives it time to set and the flavors to meld together.
• Filling Consistency: You want the banana pudding filling to be creamy and spreadable. If it’s too thick you can add a bit of regular milk to thin it out. Mix it in slowly until you get to the right consistency.

Popular Substitutions & Additions

• Vanilla Pudding Only: If you prefer you can skip the banana pudding and use two boxes of vanilla pudding instead.
• Add Some Nuts: Chopped pecans or walnuts make a crunchy addition to this dessert. You can sprinkle them over the top with the vanilla wafers.
• Caramel Sauce: Add a layer of caramel sauce on top of the pudding layer for a banana caramel tiramisu.
• Alcohol-Free: Use the coffee instead of the rum for a more classic tiramisu flavor or if you still want the rum flavor you can use 2-4 teaspoons of rum extract.
• Add Chocolate Chips: Sprinkle chocolate chips over the bananas and then add more on top.

What to Serve with Banana Tiramisu

• Drizzle with Sauce: For an extra decadent touch add a spoonful of Caramel Sauce, strawberry sauce, or chocolate sauce over the top.
• More Banana Flavor: Serve with caramelized bananas like in this Bananas Foster Recipe.
• Italian Dinner: It makes the perfect end to a family dinner party after other favorites like Classic Lasagna or Stuffed Shells with Meat.
• Southern-Style Dinner: Enjoy after Southern favorites such as Southern Baked Chicken, Chicken and Dumplings, and Southern Baked Beans.

How to Store Banana Pudding Tiramisu

Store leftover tiramisu in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It’s likely the bananas will brown slightly over time, but this won’t affect the delicious taste! You can spray your banana slices with a bit citrus juice if you want to slow down the browning process.

How long will banana tiramisu last in the fridge?

This delightful dessert is best enjoyed within 2-3 days, ensuring the flavors remain fresh and the texture stays perfect.

Can I freeze banana pudding tiramisu?

While I totally understand you want to hang onto each delightful bite of this dessert, it doesn’t hold up well to freezing.

Frequently Asked Questions

If your people love tiramisu and banana pudding then this Banana Pudding Tiramisu is sure to be a hit whenever you serve it up! I promise! It’s simply that good. It’s got the best parts of each dessert and simply bursting with banana flavor.

Favorite Banana Pudding Recipes

• Banana Pudding Cake
• Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars
• Banana Pudding Ice Cream
• Banana Pudding Pound Cake
• Homemade Banana Pudding
• Banana Pudding Pie

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Banana Pudding Tiramisu

This Banana Pudding Tiramisu is the perfect Southern spin on a classic Italian dessert for something truly unique and special.

4.41 from 42 votes

Print Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Chill 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

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Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Course: Dessert

Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

For the Filling

• ▢ 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
• ▢ 1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
• ▢ 2 8 ounce containers of cream cheese, room temperature
• ▢ 2 cups cold milk + 2-4 ounces as needed
• ▢ 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• ▢ 1 5 ounce package instant banana pudding mix
• ▢ 1 5 ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
• ▢ 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For the Rum Sauce

• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter
• ▢ ½ cup rum or coffee
• ▢ ½ cup light brown sugar packed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Assembly

• ▢ 5 large bananas in ½ inch slices
• ▢ 1 17.5 ounce package ladyfingers
• ▢ 12 vanilla wafers crumbled

Instructions

For the Rum Sauce

• In a medium sized pan, add butter, rum, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Mix with a whisk or spoon. Bring to a slight boil then turn off the heat.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes.

For the Filling

• In the bowl of a mixer, beat heavy cream on high speed until soft peaks develop. Add in confectioners sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks develop. Remove whipped cream from the bowl and place in a separate bowl. Then put the mixture in the refrigerator.
• Clean bowl then add cream cheese and beat on high until nice and fluffy.
• Slowly add in sweetened condensed milk, milk, banana pudding mix, vanilla pudding mix, and vanilla extract. Beat until well incorporated. Stop in between mixing ingredients to use a spatula to mix in the food on the sides of the bowl. The pudding at this point should not be too thick. It should be “spreadable”. If it seems too thick add in more cold milk, starting at 2 ounces (¼ cup).
• Remove whipped cream from the refrigerator and slowly fold half of whipped cream into the banana pudding.

To Assemble the Tiramisu

• Arrange a full row of ladyfingers on the bottom of a 9×13 sized baking pan. Pour 1/4 of warm rum sauce over ladyfingers to soak them.
• Next add slices of 2 bananas over the ladyfingers and pour another 1/4 of warm rum sauce over bananas.
• Take half of the banana pudding cheese mixture and smooth over the top of the sliced bananas. Again, the banana pudding mixture should be “spreadable” and not too thick. See notes above for thinning the mixture if needed.
• Next create another layer by repeating all steps starting with adding another row of ladyfingers, pouring rum sauce on ladyfingers, adding sliced bananas, pouring remaining rum sauce and finally add the rest of the banana pudding mixture.
• Lastly, take the remaining half of whipped cream and spread it over the top of the tiramisu.
• Finish the top of the tiramisu with crumbled wafers over whipped cream.
• Place the baking pan in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours before serving.

Video

Notes

• • It’s likely the bananas will brown slightly over time, but this won’t affect the delicious taste! You can spray your banana slices with a bit citrus juice if you want to slow down the browning process.
  • Use Ingredients at Proper Temperature: Ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature for a smoother, lump-free mixture while the heavy cream needs to be cold so that it whips up into stiff peaks more easily.

• • Ripe Bananas: Use ripe bananas for more flavor and sweetness but avoid using bananas that are overly brown or soft. The perfect banana will have a sprinkling of black dots on the peel.

• • Gentle Folding: When incorporating the whipped cream, fold it in gently to keep the mixture light and airy.

• • Be Patient: Allow enough chilling time for your banana tiramisu. This gives it time to set and the flavors to meld together.

• • Filling Consistency: You want to the banana pudding filling to be creamy and spreadable. If it’s too thick you can add a bit of regular milk to thin it out. Mix it in slowly until you get to the right consistency.

Nutrition

Calories: 594kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 133mg | Sodium: 235mg | Potassium: 469mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 1311IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 1mg

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