Banana-Bread Bread Pudding

We always seem to have brown bananas on the counter. As much as my kids love bananas, it seems like the window for perfectly ripe bananas–when they aren’t green and before they turn brown–is just too short.   

While I love banana bread, it can get old making it week after week. We have been trying very hard not to waste any food, so I’m always on the lookout for new ways to use overripe bananas.  

I have a newfound love for bread pudding. I didn’t really care for it until the last few years but have since discovered how delicious this comforting dessert can be. So when I was faced with a few overripe bananas recently, the thought came to me to turn them into bread, and then to turn that bread into bread pudding!  

This dessert was just great and a nice change up to both bread pudding and banana bread.

Here’s how you make it.  First, you are going to make a basic banana bread.

Mix together your dry ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar; add the eggs.

Mash up your bananas. It took me just short of 4 bananas to get the 2 cups of mashed banana needed. Add the mashed bananas to the mixer.

Pour the mixture into a prepared baking dish. Bake the bread until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the bread cool enough so that you can cut it into 1-inch cubes. Stick the cubes back into the oven to let them dry, turning them once or twice to toast all sides.

Place dried cubes in ungreased 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish or 6 individual ramekins.

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. On low speed, beat in half-and-half. Add vanilla, salt and 3 eggs; beat until almost smooth.

Pour custard evenly over bread cubes in dish. Cubes should be completely soaked by custard; if not, use spoon to press cubes down into custard.

Bake 35 to 50 minutes or until custard is set. Sprinkle top of bread pudding with powdered sugar. Enjoy!