Our easy banana bread pudding recipe is amazing!! Homemade with overripe bananas and made with a loaf of bread, you have to make this dessert for your family or to bring to a potluck, I assure you there won’t be any left to take home!
I recently decided to figure out a really easy bread pudding recipe because I had it at a restaurant and forgot just how much I loved it! I started with a caramel apple bread pudding, and now here to show you how to make it with this other fresh fruit.
We buy bananas like they’re going out of style! I can’t bear to throw any out if they aren’t eaten so I’ve created this and other overripe banana recipes to share. The longer they sit the sweeter they get for sure. For this one we want to keep them pretty yellow, but not green at all. They will go inside to get fruit in every single bite.
You can see the color I usually use down here. Fresh fruit bread pudding is amazing. I have used pie filling before during the Winter months but when summertime gets closer I can find cheaper produce in season so I go for that.
Of course occasionally they become overripe and as to not let them go to waste I often make coconut banana bread out of them. When we have yellow ripe bananas, this banana bread pudding recipe is a great way to use them in this incredible dessert.
Ingredient Notes
First you are going to use a loaf of french bread or I have even used a loaf of bread (like thick slices of Sara Lee Artesano). For both I typically wait a few days after buying it to use because you don’t want the bread to be really soft.
Then you will want some (slightly) Overripe bananas that are not too brown, sliced, not mashed banana for this.
Room temperature Eggs and milk that is 2% or whole are best to be as moist as possible. If you need to use a dairy free alternative I recommend cashew milk because it is thicker and richer than others.
Sugar, white granulated, adds sweetness to this homemade recipe. I have heard some say that they have used a sugar-free alternative and that was delicious as well.
Vanilla and some cinnamon will add warm Fall flavors that are great but optional. Caramel bits are optional but really good too.
Served with vanilla or banana flavored ice cream is amazing when done. This is way easier than you might think. For years I enjoyed it every once and a while at restaurants but after I figured this out we make it pretty often, and year round.
Banana Bread Pudding with a Loaf of Bread
Time needed: 1 hour
Banana Bread Pudding Recipe
- Prepare ingredients
Slice bread into cubes about 1.5 inch squares as you see above. In a bowl add other ingredients and whisk together.
- Soak bread
Put cubed bread in a large mixing bowl with milk so they can soak it up.
- Fold ingredients
Gently fold together your large eggs and granulated sugar mix into your bread bowl (can add a dash of vanilla extract too). Then slice bananas and gently fold those in too so they don’t break apart.
- Bake
Pour banana bread pudding mix into greased 9×13 inch pan, spread out evenly across pan. Put into preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until egg has solidified.
- Cool
Take pan out and put on a cooling rack for 15 minutes or more before slicing so it can solidify.
This is what it should look like after it has cooled a bit. It will continue to cook a bit when you take it out in the pan. You want this so it stays really moist but the egg is cooked and safe to eat. A drizzle of caramel sauce over the top or ice cream is a fun add.
Pour the melted butter into your bundt pan and then use another banana and cut slices into your bundt pan holes so they come out on the top of your bread pudding (makes it pretty).
You can use another pan or dish instead and the banana bread pudding recipe is the same, just may take a bit longer to bake but no biggie. If you want to take this banana bread pudding recipe over the top add 1/2 cup of caramel bits or even chocolate chips.
Tips
When you add your sugar/egg mixture in with your bread/milk mixture you just want to very gently fold together so the pieces aren’t broken apart too much. Fill your baking dish after you have sprayed it with non stick spray so it will slide right out when serving.
How do you know when bread pudding is done?
Ok so you don’t want to bake this too long, you want it to be wet, but not underdone. To test look at the edges/sides as they should begin to shrink in and pull away from the pan. Then you want to test to ensure that the egg in the center is no longer runny. Take out when knife inserted into the center comes out clean. It will be very moist but shouldn’t come out with raw ingredients on it.
Then I would allow it to sit on a cooling rack, but in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes in order to solidify more before slicing and serving warm.
If you want extra sweetness you could serve with ice cream on top. Leftovers can be moistened with milk and sugar (just a sprinkle) on the top before microwaving for about 1 minute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes and no. I have used both, you just want it to not break apart. You can just use a fresh loaf as you see here (as long as they’re thick slices). Or leave the loaf out on the counter for a few hours out of the package. I have used both and they’re both fine.
You do want them to be more yellow than brown for this one. For banana bread it is best to have your fruit very ripe, bread pudding with bananas should be a bit firmer so they keep their shape when baked in the oven.
Very carefully and with a spatula. You don’t want them to break apart so gently fold into the homemade banana bread pudding mixture before pouring into your casserole dish.
Banana Bread Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Dice your day old loaf of french bread, or thick sandwich bread (do not use heels).
- Add milk to large bowl. Put diced bread into milk and soak milk up with bread. In separate bowl add eggs, sugar, vanilla, almond extract and mix well.
- Add sugar mixture to bread mixture and gently fold together. Cut banana, add to mixture and add your caramel bits to mixture.
- Spray non stick cooking spray into glass 9×12 baking dish.
- Pour mix directly into glass baking dish and put in oven at 350 degrees for approx. 28-30 minutes or until egg is no longer soft.
- You don't want to over cook this as bread pudding should be soft, but egg needs to be cooked vs. translucent.
- Melt 1/2 – 3/4 tub of vanilla or cream cheese frosting in 15 seconds in microwave and pour over the top of the whole thing so it can soak in. Cool in pan on cooling rack for 10-15 minutes before serving so it can solidify.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This leftover banana bread pudding recipe is so flavorful you won’t need any glaze or anything on top. It’s fantastic just the way it is. How to make banana bread pudding is easy enough to do it every week!
Other Easy Recipes for Bread Pudding
Our Instant Pot bread pudding is a fun way to bake without an oven, steamed to super moist. Apple pie bread pudding is amazing with a can of pie filling.
Have more bananas you want to use up in something delicious? Our #1 most popular breakfast/dessert choice is this 4 ingredient banana bread. It is pretty incredible so I don’t blame people for making this over and over again.
- I also make this pumpkin banana bread during the Fall. It’s so moist, and served with a cup of coffee in the morning it just makes me all giddy inside.
- Now if you have a pressure cooker you can make our Instant Pot banana bread recipe too! Have you ever baked in that thing? It’s surprisingly good.
- AAAaaaand let’s round out our banana recipes with this moist and delectable banana pudding cake!! OH YES!
Ok I guess I am getting carried away but I have had them all and my mouth is already starting to drool y’all. 😉 Now grab everything you need for this and get going my friend. Let us know how much you like it below.
Wonderful! Love how tasty this is! With the classic flavors of banana bread this came out perfectly!
Yeah!!
Easy, simple, delicious recipe! YUM!
I’ve made this several times now since I got so tired of just making banana bread. The kids love it and it is super easy!
This is PERFECT for the mountain of bananas on my countertop right now! Thanks for the tasty recipe!
Really yummy. I improvised and used 1 bowl to make everything. I added more banana and put abit less bread. Thanks for this simple recipe. Looks and tastes so good.
Can this one be made in the Instant Pot?
I have a recipe for banana bread in the IP in this post.
Wow! This Bread Pudding looks incredibly delicious.
Can you use challah bread
I am sure you could
easy,simple,nice,and good recipe:)
Do you have to refrigerate this
I would for leftovers.
Thank you