Description
This classic Banana Bread Pudding recipe transforms dried bread and ripe bananas into a comforting, golden-baked dessert. Layered with fragrant spices like cinnamon and nutmeg and enriched with a creamy custard base, this easy-to-make dish is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy dessert served warm with whipped cream or caramel sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread and Butter
- 1 loaf dried bread, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces (about 11–12 cups French bread)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Custard Mixture
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup mashed bananas (about 1 large banana)
Bananas
- 1 ½ cups sliced bananas (about 2 ½ large bananas)
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. This ensures the pudding won’t stick and will bake evenly.
- Combine Bread and Butter: Place the dried bread pieces into a large bowl and gently toss them with the melted unsalted butter, coating the bread evenly to add richness and help create a crisp exterior in the baked pudding.
- Whip Eggs and Sugar: In a medium bowl, add the eggs and granulated sugar. Use a hand mixer on medium speed to beat the mixture for about one minute until it lightens in color and becomes slightly fluffy. This step aerates the custard for a tender texture.
- Mix Custard Ingredients: To the egg and sugar mixture, add the milk, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt, and mashed bananas. Stir everything together until fully combined to create a flavorful custard base.
- Toss Bread and Sliced Bananas: Add the sliced bananas to the bowl with the butter-coated bread and gently toss them together to distribute the banana slices evenly throughout the bread.
- Soak Bread in Custard: Pour the custard mixture over the bread and bananas. Use your hands to gently mix, ensuring every piece of bread is soaked in the custard so the pudding will set properly when baked.
- Fill Baking Dish: Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the custard fully. Then transfer it to the prepared baking dish, rearranging the bread pieces to fill the dish evenly for consistent baking.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top turns golden brown and the pudding’s edges slightly pull away from the sides of the dish, indicating it is cooked through.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and allow the pudding to cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm with optional toppings such as whipped cream, crème anglaise, or caramel sauce for an indulgent finishing touch.
Notes
- Using dried bread or day-old bread helps the pudding absorb the custard better without becoming too mushy.
- For a richer pudding, substitute whole milk with half-and-half or add a splash of cream.
- Feel free to add chopped nuts or raisins to the bread mixture for extra texture and flavor.
- Leftover pudding can be refrigerated and gently reheated before serving.
- This recipe can easily be doubled for larger gatherings using a bigger baking dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: banana bread pudding, banana dessert, bread pudding recipe, baked banana dessert, comfort food dessert
