Caramel Banana Bread Pudding
A rich baked bread pudding made with ripe bananas, brown sugar custard, and toasted pecans, served with warm caramel sauce.
Equipment
- 9 by 13 inch baking dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Small saucepan
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb stale buttery bread cut into 1 inch cubes
- 4 ripe bananas mashed
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ cup whole milk
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts divided, optional
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter melted, for the dish
- ½ cup light brown sugar for the caramel sauce
- ½ cup heavy cream for the caramel sauce
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter for the caramel sauce
- ¼ tsp kosher salt for the caramel sauce
- 1 firm banana sliced, for topping, optional
Instructions
Cooking
- Prep. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and coat a 9 by 13 inch dish with the melted butter.
- Dry the bread. Bake the cubes for 10 to 15 minutes if they are fresh, until dried out.
- Mix the custard. Whisk the mashed bananas, eggs, sugar, milk, cream, vanilla, salt, and spices, then stir in the bread and half the nuts.
- Bake. Pour into the dish, top with the remaining nuts, and bake 50 to 60 minutes until 160 degrees F in the center, then cool 10 to 15 minutes.
- Cook the caramel. Boil the sugar, cream, butter, and salt for 2 minutes while stirring, then cool 5 minutes and spoon over each square.
Notes
Substitutions: Use walnuts for pecans, or brioche for the bread.
Tips: Soak the bread while the oven heats and cover the dish loosely if the top browns early.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days, with the caramel sauce stored separately, and reheat to 165 degrees F. Do not freeze.