Bananas Foster Bread Pudding takes a classic comfort dessert and turns it into something truly unforgettable. With soft brioche soaked in a rich custard, swirls of ripe banana, and a buttery rum sauce drizzled over the top, this is the dessert dreams are made of.
Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or crisp it up for an extra-special touch.
When I was young, my mom would whip up bread pudding whenever we had old, stale bread lying around. Back then, it was considered a ‘poor man’s’ dessert. Simple, resourceful, and perfect for stretching a budget. But this version? It’s anything but ordinary. With rich brioche, creamy custard, and a buttery rum sauce, this dessert feels extra in the best possible way.
Here is Why You Need Bananas Foster Bread Pudding
Two Desserts in One: Bread pudding meets Bananas Foster in the most delicious mashup ever. Think custardy brioche with caramelized bananas and a buttery rum sauce. Need we say more?
Crispy Golden Edges: A quick second bake transforms this bread pudding into perfectly crisp squares with a tender, creamy center. Fancy enough for company, easy enough any day.
That Rum Sauce: Rich, buttery, and just the right amount of boozy. It’s the kind of sauce you’ll want to drizzle on everything (or eat straight from the spoon).
Make-Ahead Magic: Chill it, bake it, crisp it, or serve it straight from the oven. This recipe is as flexible as your schedule demands!
If you like this recipe, check out our apple pecan bread pudding.
The Ingredients
- Pantry: Brioche, sugar, dark brown sugar, dark rum, vanilla extract, water.
- Dairy: Heavy cream, whole milk, butter.
- Produce: Bananas, freshly grated nutmeg.
- Spices and Seasonings: Ssalt, cinnamon.
- Eggs: Egg yolks, egg whites.
Ingredient notes: If you don’t care to cook with alcohol, swap it for apple juice and add rum extract if desired.
Recipe Variations
Rum Raisin Bread Pudding: Soak ½ cup of raisins in an extra 2 tablespoons of dark rum for 30 minutes before adding them to the bread mixture.
Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding: Sprinkle ½ cup of chocolate chips into the bread mixture before baking and drizzle with a chocolate sauce instead of rum sauce.
Pecan Praline Banana Bread Pudding: Add ¾ cup of chopped pecans to the custard mixture and swap the sliced bananas in the rum sauce for a praline-style topping. Drizzle with caramel sauce.
Tips for Success
- Stale or dried-out bread absorbs the custard best, so don’t skip the step of drying your brioche cubes in the oven.
- Let your cream mixture cool to room temperature before combining it with the eggs to avoid scrambling them.
- For the best flavor, use bananas that are fully ripe. Yellow with brown spots are ideal.
- The shape and size of your dish will affect the baking time. If your dish is larger, the custard will bake faster due to increased surface area.
- The water bath ensures the custard bakes evenly and stays silky without overcooking. If you skip this step the edges tend to get a bit overcooked (but it will still be delicious).
- If rum isn’t your thing, substitute it with maple syrup or skip it altogether for a kid-friendly version.
Storage
Refrigerator: Transfer leftover bread pudding to an airtight container or cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing: Place leftovers in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating Instructions. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the bread pudding in an oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and heat for 10–15 minutes or until warmed through. Alternatively, you can zap individual slices in the microwave.
Banana Foster Bread Pudding
Bananas Foster Bread Pudding combines creamy custard, caramelized bananas, and buttery rum sauce in a way that feels both classic and indulgent. It’s the kind of dessert everyone will remember long after the plates are clean.
Check out our Pumpkin Bread Pudding or our Tiramisu for some more incredible desserts.
Bananas Foster Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce
Ingredients
For The Banana Bread Pudding:
- 12 ounces brioche cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup butter melted and cooled
- ¼ cup sugar
- 6 eggs separated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup banana mash (from about 2 large bananas)
- freshly grated nutmeg
For the Rum Sauce:
- ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ cup butter 1 stick
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup dark rum
- 1 or 2 sliced ripe bananas
- Vanilla Ice Cream optional
Instructions
Dry the Bread Cubes:
- Preheat the oven to 175°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the brioche cubes to the baking sheet and transfer to the oven to dry for 30-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
For the banana bread pudding:
- Increase the oven temperature to 325°F, prepare a 2-quart baking dish with oil spray and reserve.
- Place the cooled bread cubes in a large mixing bowl. Combine the cream and milk in a small saucepan and warm gently over medium heat. Pour the warm cream mixture over the bread cubes, stirring to coat well. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Whisk together the melted butter and sugar until well blended. Add the egg yolks, vanilla, salt and banana mash, blend until smooth and creamy. Gently stir this mixture into the brioche mixture.
- Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, then fold them into the brioche mixture. Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Finish with a grating of nutmeg over the top.
- Set the dish into a larger roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
- Bake the bread pudding until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35-55 minutes (see notes). Remove from the oven and transfer the dish from the hot water to a cooling rack. When cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
To Serve:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Cut the cold bread pudding into 2-1/2 inch squares and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a small dish and melt in the microwave
- Brush the top and sides of each bread square with melted butter and transfer to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes until the tops are crisp and golden. Transfer to serving plates.
Meanwhile, Make the Rum Sauce:
- In a skillet set over medium heat, add the brown sugar, water, butter, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Boil gently for about 8 to 10 minutes. The sauce will start to thicken.
- Add the rum and sliced bananas. Cook for 1 more minute to burn off the alcohol. Transfer the sauce to a small pitcher and spoon over each serving.
Notes
- Alternative serving option: Serve scoops of the banana bread pudding hot from the oven with rum sauce and ice cream and skip the cooling/reheating process.
- The baking time will vary depending on the shape of your casserole dish. A standard 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish will require more baking time than a shallow but long oblong or rectangular dish.
Nutrition
Penny Richards
Sunday 27th of December 2020
Made this day after Christmas labor intensive but well worth it! Rum sauce was awesome bread pudding took longer to cook for me than 30 to 35 minutes mine was about 55 minutes not sure where I did something different. My family loved this will make again!
Dahn Boquist
Sunday 27th of December 2020
Thanks for the comment Penny, I am sure you did everything correctly. The baking time will vary depending on the casserole dish you used. I will make sure to add a note in the recipe card. Have a great weekend.