Banana Tiramisu: A No-Bake Layered Dessert with Ladyfingers and Mascarpone Cream

Banana Tiramisu

Banana Tiramisu is a no bake layered dessert that comes together in about 20 minutes and then chills into something that tastes like you spent the whole afternoon in the kitchen. Instead of coffee and cocoa, this version stacks ladyfingers, a creamy mascarpone mixture, sliced bananas and a cool whip topping.

I first brought this pan to a neighborhood cookout in July, and it was gone before the burgers came off the grill. That is exactly the kind of dessert it is: simple enough for a weeknight, special enough for a holiday table, and sturdy enough for a potluck, a picnic or a summer party.

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The recipe makes 12 servings, which is generous for a crowd and easy to cut smaller for a family dinner. There is no cooking involved at all. The only real waiting is the chilling time, and that is when the ladyfingers soften and the layers settle into one another.

If you love banana desserts and you love tiramisu, this is the mashup that earns a permanent spot in your rotation, whether you serve it for a holiday, a potluck or a hot summer evening.

Basic Ingredients Needed:

Every layer here has a job, and the shopping list is short enough to fit on one page. Here is what the recipe calls for.

Ladyfingers are the backbone of the whole thing. They are sweet, finger shaped sponge cakes used in traditional tiramisu, and they are what turns this from a bowl of cream into a proper layered dessert. Buy hard ladyfingers rather than soft ones.

Soft ladyfingers will become mushy after a day in the refrigerator, and the texture of the entire pan suffers for it.

Mascarpone cheese is an Italian cream cheese with a smooth consistency and a taste that leans creamy rather than tangy. It is worth seeking out. Cream cheese is not recommended as a substitute here, because it changes the typical tiramisu flavor, and once you taste the real thing in this dessert you will understand why it matters.

Bananas should be fresh and good quality, since they carry the flavor. Slice them just before you layer them, and if you want to protect the cut surfaces, brush the slices with a little lemon juice. That simple step helps prevent them from oxidizing and turning brown.

The cream layer is built from heavy whipping cream, mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. The orange juice goes onto the ladyfingers in place of the coffee you would find in a classic tiramisu, and it keeps the sponge tender without turning it into a puddle.

The cool whip goes on last as the covering, and an extra sliced banana makes an optional garnish on top.

One honest warning before you start: the hardest part of this recipe is waiting long enough for the tiramisu to chill and the ladyfingers to soften. Everything else is a matter of minutes.

The classic layering starts with ladyfingers, then a creamy mascarpone mixture and banana slices, all covered with cool whip.

How to Make Banana Tiramisu?

Prep takes about 20 minutes and there is no cooking at all. Have a 9×13 inch baking dish or one of similar size ready, and set out a large mixing bowl.

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
2. Add the mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is stiff, then set it aside.
3. Line the ladyfingers in a single layer in the bottom of the baking dish.
4. Brush half of the ladyfingers with half of the orange juice.
5. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers and layer with the sliced bananas.
6. Repeat the steps again.
7. Cover with cool whip and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
8. Garnish with sliced bananas if desired.
9. Serve.

A few notes make the process smoother. Beat the cream first and stop as soon as soft peaks form, then let the mascarpone, powdered sugar and vanilla come in on medium speed until the mixture is stiff. Setting that bowl aside while you build the base keeps the cream from warming up in your hands.

When you line the dish, fit the ladyfingers snugly in one layer so the surface is fully covered. Brush half of them with half of the orange juice, spread half of the mascarpone mixture across the top and scatter the sliced bananas over that.

Then repeat the whole sequence with the remaining ladyfingers, the rest of the orange juice, the rest of the cream and the rest of the bananas.

The cool whip goes over the final layer, and that is the point where you cover the dish and slide it into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight. The waiting is not optional. It is what softens the ladyfingers and lets the layers set.

Build the layers in the same order twice, then chill. The repeat is what gives you distinct bands of sponge, cream and banana instead of one soft mixture.

Can Banana Tiramisu be made the Night Before?

Yes. Banana Tiramisu can be made the night before, and honestly that is the smartest way to do it. The chilling time is doing real work while you sleep, softening the ladyfingers and letting the mascarpone mixture firm up against the banana slices.

Because it can be prepared ahead of time, it is a good dessert for picnics and potlucks. You are not assembling anything at the party, you are not carrying a hot pan, and you are not racing a timer. You pull the covered dish out of the refrigerator, garnish it with sliced bananas if you want, and serve.

If your event is in the evening, mixing it the night before gives you the deepest flavor and the softest sponge. If you only have a few hours, the same recipe still works as long as it gets at least 4 hours in the refrigerator.

How to Store Banana Tiramisu?

Store Banana Tiramisu covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep it covered so the surface does not dry out and so the dessert does not pick up other flavors from the fridge.

The sliced bananas will darken a little over time, and that is normal. Brushing the slices with a little lemon juice before layering helps slow that down, and the banana flavor stays sweet even after the color shifts.

Serve it cold, straight from the refrigerator, cut into squares. Cold keeps the layers clean and the cream firm, and it is also how the dessert tastes best on a warm day. Leftovers go right back into the refrigerator, covered, and should be finished within that 3 day window.

For quick reference, the full recipe makes 12 servings, takes about 20 minutes of prep with no cook time, and needs at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

It uses 24 to 30 ladyfingers, 8 oz mascarpone cheese, 2 cups heavy whipping cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 cup orange juice, 4 medium sliced bananas and 8 oz cool whip, with sliced banana as an optional garnish.

If you are a banana lover, this is the dessert to keep on hand for holidays, potlucks, picnics and summer gatherings. It is easy, it is make ahead friendly, and it looks like far more effort than it actually took.

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Banana Tiramisu

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Banana Tiramisu Banana Tiramisu is a no bake layered dessert that comes together in about 20 minutes and then chills into something that tastes like you spent the whole afternoon in the kitchen. Instead of coffee and cocoa, this version stacks ladyfingers, a creamy mascarpone mixture, sliced bananas and a cool whip topping.

• Total Time: 20 min
• Yield: 12 1x

Ingredients

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Main Ingredients
24–30 ladyfingers
8 oz mascarpone cheese
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
4 bananas, sliced
8 oz cool whip

For garnish
Banana, sliced

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Instructions

Instructions
1-In a large mixing bowl beat heavy: In a large mixing bowl beat heavy cream until soft peaks form
2-Add in the mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar: Add in the mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until stiff, set aside
3-Line the ladyfingers in a single layer,: Line the ladyfingers in a single layer, in the bottom of 9×13 or similarly sized baking dish
4-Brush half of the ladyfingers with half: Brush half of the ladyfingers with half of the orange juice
5-Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over: Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers and layer with the sliced bananas
6-Repeat the steps again: Repeat the steps again
7-Cover with cool whip and refrigerate for: Cover with cool whip and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight
8-Garnish with sliced bananas if desired: Garnish with sliced bananas if desired
9-Serve: Serve

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 0 min
• Method: no_cook