Easy Raspberry Banana Napoleon Dessert Recipe

You won’t believe how quick and easy this Caramel Raspberry Banana Napoleon dessert recipe is to make!  Refrigerated crescent roll dough and pudding mix let you turn out a pastry shop-style napoleon in a flash! A simple yet elegant dessert for Valentines Day or any day! 

Easy Napoleon Dessert 

Layers of crescent roll pastry, vanilla pudding, bananas and raspberries topped with a caramel sauce for a perfect Valentines Day dessert.

You may recall that when I shared the recipe for the Banana Flips, I said I have been on a banana kick lately.  It could be bordering on obsession (therapy could get expensive lol), so I’ll be sure to space them out and hope no one notices.

This dessert may look fancy enough for Valentines Day, but your sweetheart will never know how easy it was!  The bakery shop favorite is fun to recreate at home using refrigerated crescent rolls and pudding mix.

What Is a Napoleon Dessert?

Napoleon Cake is a popular cream pastry, also known as a Mille Feuille made with puff pastry and smooth custard-like filling.

Like most French pastries – it’s rich and delicate, not too sweet and filled with pastry cream. 

What You Need To Make An Easy Napoleon Cake 

• refrigerated crescent rolls
• brown sugar
•  milk
• 1 box French vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
• Cool Whip or whipped cream
• bananas
•  raspberries
• Caramel Topping

Easy Napoleon Cake Recipe

(full printable recipe at the end of this post)

First, you will unroll crescent roll dough and separate into 4 rectangles. Pinch perforations to seal. Use a rolling pin to smooth out the dough

Next, you will cut each rectangle into four pieces and place on an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle each recktangle with brown sugar.

Place in 350° F oven and bake until golden brown. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat milk and pudding mix with wire whisk until it begins to thicken and refrigerated for 30 minutes until pudding is set.

Fold whip cream into chilled pudding. (for advanced preparation you can stop here, cover pudding and refrigerate for several hours until ready to serve)

To serve dessert, build each napoleon by starting with one of the crispy crescent squares. Dollop on the vanilla pudding mixture. Top with sliced fruit. Add a second crescent crisp and more of the pudding and fruit. Top with a third crisp, a spoonful of pudding, one raspberry and banana slice and drizzle with caramel topping.

More banana recipes you may enjoy:

Banana Buster Brown Cupcakes

Best Mom in the World Banana Bread

Banana Pineapple Ice

Granola Banana Pancakes

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Caramel Raspberry Banana Napoleon

Yield: 5
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Refrigerated crescent roll dough and pudding mix lets you turn out a pastry shop-style napoleon in a flash!

Ingredients

• 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
• 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 box (4-serving size) French vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
• 1 cup Cool Whip or whipped cream
• 3 large bananas
• 1 1/2 cups sliced raspberries
• caramel sauce or topping

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. Unroll dough and separate into 4 rectangles. Pinch perforations to seal. Use rolling pin to smooth out pinched perforation (optional)
3. Cut each rectangle into four pieces, forming 3x2-inch rectangles . Place on ungreased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle each with brown sugar.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat milk and pudding mix with wire whisk until mixture begins to thicken and refrigerated for 30 minutes until nice and set.
6. Fold in whipped topping. (for advanced preparation you can stop here, cover pudding and refrigerate for several hours until ready to serve)
7. To serve, build each napoleon by starting with one of the crispy crescent squares. Dollop on the vanilla pudding mixture. Top with sliced fruit. Add a second crescent crisp and more of the pudding and fruit. Top with a third crisp, a spoonful of pudding, one raspberry and banana slice and drizzle with caramel topping.

Notes

For kids, you may want to skip the layering. Serve in a bowls. Tear up 2 baked crescent squares, add pudding mixture, top with fruit and drizzle with caramel topping. - Not as pretty but much easier to eat!

Recipe slightly adapted from Sams Club