Description
A delicious and comforting banana bread pudding, perfect for using up day-old bread. This dessert is rich, flavorful, and served with a warm vanilla sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 pound day-old French bread (cubed into 1-inch pieces)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups milk (I used 2%)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup firm bananas (sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds (from about 2 medium/large bananas))
- 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
- 1/4 cup light-colored corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F, spray a 2 to 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray, and add the bread cubes; set aside.
- Pour the butter over the bread and toss to coat; set aside.
- To a medium bowl, add the eggs and lightly beat them.
- Add the milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and stir to combine.
- Add the bananas and stir to combine (Note – use firm bananas so they hold their shape and don’t fall apart while baking).
- Optionally stir in the raisins.
- Pour the wet mixture over the bread cubes and mix with your hands to toss and coat the bread evenly.
- Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes or until the top is lightly golden brown and there’s no liquid pooling in the center.
- When the bread pudding is in the final 5 to 10 minutes of baking, make the sauce.
- To a medium sauce pan, add the butter and heat over medium heat to melt.
- Add the cornstarch to the butter and whisk to combine until dissolved.
- Add the sugars, milk, corn syrup, salt, and whisk to combine.
- Cook and stir over medium-low heat until the mixture comes to a full boil.
- Boil for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
- Remove mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Add the warm sauce over the warm bread pudding and serve immediately; you may have leftover sauce, which will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Using firm bananas helps maintain their shape during baking.
- This dish can be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated before baking.
- Serve with ice cream or whipped cream for added richness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 150mg