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extreme close-up of banana bread pudding texture showing soft custardy interior and caramelized golden crust with melted chocolate

Old-Fashioned Banana Bread Pudding

AuthorLily Mellow
A warm, custardy old-fashioned banana bread pudding made with day-old bread, ripe bananas, and a rich cinnamon custard. Baked golden in one dish — simple, wholesome, and deeply comforting.
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Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time55 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Servings8 portions
Calories385 kcal

Equipment

  • 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) baking dish
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Whisk & Spatula
  • Small bowl (for mashing bananas)

Ingredients  

BASE & BREAD

  • 6 cups 300g day-old French bread, brioche, or Italian bread, cut into bite-sized cubes
  • ¼ cup 60ml / 55g unsalted butter, melted

BANANA CUSTARD

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1½ cups 360ml whole milk
  • 1 cup 240ml heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup 100g granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup 240g ripe bananas, mashed (approximately 2–3 medium bananas)

MIX-INS & TOPPINGS (optional)

  • ½ cup 85g mini chocolate chips or toasted pecans (optional)
  • Warm maple syrup or caramel sauce for serving (optional)

Instructions 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
  2. Toss the bread cubes with the melted butter in a large bowl until evenly coated. Set aside.
  3. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until smooth, about 1 minute.
  4. Add the milk, heavy cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla. Whisk until fully combined.
  5. Mash the ripe bananas and fold them into the custard mixture. Stir until smooth.
  6. Arrange the buttered bread cubes in the prepared baking dish in an even layer.
  7. Pour the banana custard evenly over the bread. Press the bread down gently with a spatula so every cube is soaked.
  8. Scatter the chocolate chips or pecans over the top, if using. Let the assembled pudding rest for 10 minutes.
  9. Bake uncovered for 50–60 minutes at 350°F (175°C), until the top is deep golden brown and the center is just barely set.
  10. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with warm maple syrup or caramel sauce at the table.

Notes

Note 1 — Storage: Keeps in the fridge up to 4 days, tightly covered. Reheat at 325°F (160°C) for 15 minutes or microwave individual portions 45 to 60 seconds. Freezes well up to 2 months — wrap individual portions and thaw overnight in the fridge.
Note 2 — Make-ahead tip: Assemble the entire pudding the night before, cover tightly and refrigerate. Bake straight from the fridge the next morning. The overnight soak improves the texture significantly.
Note 3 — Bread substitution: Brioche or Challah give the richest result. Leftover banana bread slices work beautifully — reduce the mashed bananas in the custard to 1 banana to keep the balance right.