This banana pudding tiramisu is made with espresso-soaked ladyfingers layered with banana slices and vanilla pudding in place of traditional mascarpone cream. It's extremely easy to make and combines two incredible no-bake desserts into one!
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Notes from the baker
Banana pudding and tiramisu are two no-bake desserts that I absolutely love making because they both taste SO good for just a small amount of work. They always turn out well and are well-loved by just about anyone who tries them.
It made perfect sense to combine them into a single dessert - using the vanilla pudding in place of the mascarpone cream typically in tiramisu. This works out even better because it eliminates the need for eggs and the lengthier process of cooking the zabaglione (custard that's mixed with the mascarpone in tiramisu).
I know I say it often, but this is truly one of my favourite recipes I've ever made. It's officially a tried and true, never-fail recipe that I'm going to be whipping out any time I need a quick and delicious dessert to feed several people.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Silky and creamy banana pudding. This is a classic banana pudding with the simplest ingredients.
- Soft and cakey espresso-dipped ladyfingers. The ladyfingers soften and become the most amazing cake texture when left to chill for a few hours before serving.
- No-bake dessert. No oven or cooking needed. It all sets in the fridge!
- Easy to make. You can prepare this recipe in under an hour and forget about it in the fridge until you're ready to serve it.
Tools
- 9x13" casserole dish - This banana pudding tiramisu can be made in just about any kind of container you have. It's easy to adjust for the container as you're assembling it - it doesn't need to fit perfectly.
- Whisk - This recipe can be made with just a whisk but you can also use a hand mixer for the whipped cream if you prefer.
- Fine mesh sieve - You'll need this just to dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder. A mesh tea steeper also works in a pinch.
Ingredient notes
As always, the fullย recipe cardย with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post! Keep reading for more details on each ingredient or skip ahead to theย recipe.
- Milk - Use any dairy or non-dairy milk you prefer.
- Sweetened condensed milk - Use a full can or slightly less if you prefer it less sweet. Condensed milk works well in this recipe because it doesn't need to be dissolved like sugar and it adds a caramelized flavour that is banana pudding is known for.
- Instant vanilla pudding mix - I use the Jello brand of instant vanilla pudding with great results. Make sure it's INSTANT pudding, not one that you need to cook.
- Whipping cream - You can use whipping cream or heavy cream for a richer and thicker pudding.
- Espresso powder - Use instant espresso powder, not ground up coffee beans. You can also use espresso made with a coffee machine or strongly brewed coffee - just replace the hot water with the same amount of espresso or coffee.
- Hot water
- Coffee liqueur (optional) - This adds a subtle boozy kick to the tiramisu but it can be omitted for an alcohol-free version. Kahlua or Baileys works well.
- Ladyfingers - We're using store-bought ladyfinger biscuits to make this recipe super easy but you can also make your own if you're so inclined. Make sure you're using hard ladyfingers, not the soft kind (I've personally never seen the soft kind sold in stores but some people have told me that that's the only version they can find!).
- Bananas - These should be sliced into โ -1/4" coins. Slightly green bananas or bananas that are just ripe work well in banana pudding because they don't turn brown and mushy as fast as overripe bananas.
- Cocoa powder - For dusting the top of the banana pudding tiramisu as a finishing touch - iconic for a tiramisu!
Tips for making the best banana pudding tiramisu
- Let the pudding chill to set. The instant pudding firms up pretty quickly in the fridge - you want it to be at a thick gel-like consistency before folding it with the whipped cream. Use this time to whip the cream and slice the bananas.
- Don't soak the ladyfingers in the espresso mixture for too long. The ladyfingers should be dipped in the espresso mixture quicker than you might think. If they're soaked for too long, they'll either fall apart while you're still holding them or become mushy and soggy in the tiramisu.
- Add the cocoa powder topping just before serving. The cocoa powder topping moistens and darkens the longer it sits on top of the tiramisu. For the freshest look, add it just before serving.
Storage
This banana pudding tiramisu should be stored covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Enjoy frozen as an ice cream-like treat or thaw at room temperature for about 1 hour. Note that the bananas will likely brown once frozen and thawed but it doesn't affect the flavour.
Frequently asked questions
Baking by weight is much more accurate than volume. When using US standard cups, ingredients like flour and sugar can easily be overpacked into the cup causing you to add too much of certain ingredients. Recipes with weight measurements are also easier to scale to smaller or bigger batches without dealing with weird fractions.ย To measure by weight, you simply need a kitchen scale which you can usually pick up for less than $20.
Small measurements are given in tablespoons and teaspoons because most kitchen scales are not accurate under about 10g. Tiny amounts like a ยผ teaspoon may not register accurately unless you have a drug scale. Mixing these measurements is a common practice among other recipe sites and commercial kitchens.
More tiramisu recipes to try
Recipe
Banana Pudding Tiramisu
Equipment
- 1 whisk
Ingredientsย ย
Pudding
- 350 g milk, cold
- 370 g sweetened condensed milk, 1 can
- 100 g instant vanilla pudding mix, 1 box
- 470 g whipping cream
Espresso Soak
- 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
- 500 g hot water
- 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur, optional (e.g. Kahlua)
- 40 ladyfingers
Fillings & Toppings
- 3 bananas, sliced into coins
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, for dusting
Instructionsย
Pudding
- Mix: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, condensed milk, and instant vanilla pudding mix until thoroughly combined. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour until it thickens firms up into a pudding consistency.
- Whip cream: In a large mixing bowl, add the whipping cream. Use a whisk or an electric hand mixer to beat the cream until it becomes firm peaks.
- Fold together: Add the pudding to the whipped cream and fold together with a spatula until no streaks remain. Set aside.
Espresso Soak
- Mix: In a shallow bowl, stir together espresso powder, hot water, and coffee liqueur until the espresso powder has dissolved.
Assemble
- Dip ladyfingers: Briefly dip a ladyfinger into the espresso soak for only about 1 second on each side. Do NOT let the ladyfingers sit in the soak for too long otherwise it will quickly turn into mush. Let some of the excess drip off before placing it in the bottom of a large casserole dish. Repeat with half of the ladyfingers until you've arranged a whole layer on the bottom of the dish.
- Layer: Add about ยผ of the pudding on top of the ladyfinger layer. Use an offset spatula to smooth it into an even layer. Scatter half of the banana slices across the pudding layer. Spread another ยผ of the pudding on top of the banana slices. Repeat with the rest of the ladyfingers, banana slices, and pudding.
- Chill: Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Dust: Before serving, use a fine mesh sieve to dust the top with cocoa powder.
Adriana Blake says
Its so easy to make and delicious
jane shin says
Hi! Do you recommend I use fresh espresso shot if I have an espresso machine?