Creamy Bananas Foster Bread Pudding (Printable)

Rich custard bread with caramelized bananas and rum-butter sauce creates a decadent dessert experience.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Bread Pudding

01 - 6 cups day-old brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 300 g)
02 - 3 large eggs
03 - 2 cups whole milk (480 ml)
04 - 1 cup heavy cream (240 ml)
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g)
06 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
09 - 3 ripe bananas, sliced

→ For the Bananas Foster Sauce

10 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (60 g)
11 - 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (100 g)
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1/4 cup dark rum (60 ml)
14 - 2 ripe bananas, sliced
15 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Spread bread cubes evenly in the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 sliced bananas over the bread.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until fully combined and smooth.
04 - Pour custard mixture evenly over bread and bananas. Gently press bread down to ensure even absorption. Let stand for 15 minutes to allow bread to soak thoroughly.
05 - Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and set but still slightly wobbly in the center. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly while preparing sauce.
06 - While pudding bakes, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add brown sugar and cinnamon, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to bubble.
07 - Add sliced bananas to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes until just softened. Carefully add rum, remove from heat if using an open flame, then return to heat and cook for 1 additional minute.
08 - Stir in vanilla extract and pinch of salt. Serve warm bread pudding topped with generous spoonfuls of Bananas Foster sauce.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The bread pudding develops this incredibly tender custard center while the top turns golden and slightly crisp, like French toast and crème brûlée had a baby
  • That Bananas Foster sauce isnt just a topping, it transforms the whole dish into something that feels like dessert from a restaurant kitchen but comes together in under an hour
02 -
  • The bread really does need to be slightly stale, at least a day old, because fresh bread will disintegrate into a sad, soggy mess instead of holding its structure
  • Letting the pudding sit after baking for about 10 minutes makes all the difference, the custard sets up and cutting becomes so much easier
  • That 15 minute soak time is non negotiable, the bread needs time to fully absorb the custard or you will end up with dry spots and nobody wants that
03 -
  • If you want to flambé the rum for dramatic effect, turn off the heat, add the rum, use a long lighter to ignite it, and stand back, let the alcohol burn off for about 30 seconds
  • French bread works in a pinch, but brioche or challah really do create that luxurious, melt in your mouth texture that makes this recipe exceptional

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