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Start your day with a unique twist on breakfast with this Banana Bread French Toast. This gourmet brunch dish blends the comfort of banana bread with the richness of French toast, featuring thick slices soaked in a sweet custard mixture. Savor the warm aromas of banana and cinnamon in every tender bite. Make every morning a celebration of flavor, texture, and joy with this special breakfast creation.
Banana bread, particularly that heavenly Hawaiian Banana Nut Bread with Pineapple I've raved about before, has been a cherished fixture in our family kitchen forever. My mom has been whipping up this pleasing treat since my childhood, infusing our home with its sweet, tropical aromas and wrapping us in warmth with every batch she bakes.
My sister and I, we don't just love it; we absolutely cherish it. There's something magical about the aroma of ripe bananas and nuts mingling together in the oven—it weaves through the house, enveloping each room with warmth and pulling us back to those cherished, laughter-filled moments of our youth.
My mom, she's always been a wizard in the kitchen, wielding her culinary magic with both the savory and the sweet. Her skills were inherited from her mother, my grandma, who was renowned for her delicious dishes and decadent desserts. And the lore goes that this knack for nourishing the soul through food stretches even further back, a treasured gift passed down through generations.
This tradition of cooking and baking for family and friends is more than just a pastime; it's a heartfelt legacy that I carry on with pride. Each dish I create is a homage to those before me, inspired by the flavors and memories that shaped my palate and my heart. It's in these moments, when I'm stirring and tasting, that I feel deeply connected to my family's past and excited about carrying our culinary heritage forward.
What’s so special about Banana Bread French Toast? Think of the sweet, comforting taste of overripe bananas baked into your favorite banana bread recipe, transformed into a scrumptious French toast. This easy French toast recipe involves soaking thick slices of banana bread in a rich egg mixture and frying them to golden brown perfection in melted butter. The result? A buttery, tender dish that's a great way to start any day with a smile.
I highly recommend using my Best Hawaiian Banana Nut Bread with Pineapple recipe! It's out of this world and adds a delicious tropical flair! You could jazz this one up with caramelized fresh pineapple and shredded coconut! Wow!
Ingredients to Gather
- Banana Bread: Use leftover banana bread from a couple of days ago for the best texture. If you’re in a pinch, a store-bought loaf will do just fine. Slice it up and let's get started!
- Large Eggs: Key for that custardy soak that makes French toast so divine.
- Milk: Rich heavy cream is my go-to, but any milk will work.
- Vanilla Extract: A teaspoon of vanilla enhances all the flavors beautifully.
- Cinnamon: A teaspoon of cinnamon adds a warm spice that compliments the banana flavor.
- Salt: Just a pinch to balance the sweetness.
- Butter: For cooking. Nothing beats the aroma and flavor of butter as it sizzles in the pan!
Equipment Used
- Large Bowl: Needed for mixing the egg, cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt together to create the custard-like egg mixture.
- Whisk: Useful for ensuring the egg mixture is smooth and well combined, which is crucial for even soaking of the banana bread slices.
- Shallow Dish: Ideal for soaking the banana bread slices in the egg mixture, allowing each piece to be evenly coated without falling apart.
- Large Skillet or Griddle: Essential for frying the soaked banana breead slices. A non-stick skillet is preferred to prevent sticking and ensure easy flipping of the French toast.
- Spatula: Needed for flipping the banana bread slices in the skillet. A wide, flat spatula is best to handle the potentially fragile, soaked slices gently.
- Knife: Required for slicing the banana bread into thick, even pieces. A serrated knife is ideal for cutting cleanly through the crust without squashing the bread.
- Cutting Board: Used for slicing the banana bread and preparing any toppings like fresh fruit or nuts.
- Measuring Spoons: Necessary for accurately measuring smaller quantities of ingredients like vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt.
- Measuring Cups: Used for measuring out the cream and ensuring the correct proportions for the egg mixture.
- Baking Sheet: Handy for keeping the cooked French toast warm in the oven while finishing the rest of the batches.
- Oven (optional): While not a piece of equipment used directly in cooking, the oven can be set to a low temperature to keep the finished French toast warm as you cook additional batches.
- Wire Rack (optional): Useful for resting the soaked banana bread slices before frying, allowing any excess egg mixture to drip off and ensuring even cooking.
Chef Secrets for Banana Bread French Toast:
- Use Day-Old Banana Bread: Opt for banana bread that's a day or two old as it's slightly drier and better absorbs the egg mixture without becoming too soggy.
- Thick Slices Are Key: Cut the banana bread into thick slices (about 1 to 1.5 inches). This ensures the slices hold up well during soaking and cooking, providing a nice custard layer inside with a crisp exterior.
- Rich Egg Mixture: Enhance the custard base by using a high ratio of eggs to heavy cream. This gives a richer, more decadent texture. Incorporating a teaspoon of vanilla extract and cinnamon not only adds flavor but also complements the inherent sweetness of the banana bread.
- Low and Slow Cooking: Cook the soaked bread slices on medium heat. This allows the French toast to cook evenly and become golden brown without burning. It’s important to let the butter become frothy in the pan before adding the bread, ensuring each piece gets a crispy, buttery edge.
- Resting Time: After soaking the banana bread slices in the egg mixture, let them rest for a few minutes on a wire rack before frying. This step helps the bread to fully absorb the custard.
- Non-Stick Skillet: Use a large non-stick skillet or griddle to avoid the bread sticking and tearing when flipping. The size of the skillet is also important to avoid overcrowding, which can lead to steaming rather than frying.
- Keep Warm in Oven: As you cook the slices in batches, keep the cooked French toast warm in an oven set to a low temperature (about 200°F). This helps maintain the perfect texture until you're ready to serve.
- Serve Immediately: Banana Bread French Toast is best enjoyed hot right off the skillet. Serving immediately ensures that the texture is at its peak — crispy on the outside and soft and custardy on the inside.
- Garnishes and Toppings: Elevate the dish with a drizzle of warm maple syrup, freshly whipped cream, or for something really decadent – drizzle with my Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce, toasted pecans, and sliced bananas! Adding fresh fruit or toasted nuts can introduce a delightful contrast in textures.
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Storing for Later
If you have leftovers or want to prepare this ahead of time, store the cooked French toast in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in a toaster or oven to bring back the crispy texture.
Don't stop with banana bread! Try this method with most quick breads: Pumpkin Bread, Zucchini Bread, Chocolate Chip Bread, Strawberry Bread…the options are endless!
To round out your brunch menu try adding these delicious recipes!
Please let me know how your Banana Bread French Toast turns out for you in the comments! I love hearing from you!
Equipment
- Wire Rack optional
Ingredients
- 1 loaf leftover banana bread Should yield 8 slices
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Butter for greasing pan
Instructions
- Soak each slice of bread on both sides in mixture for about 5 minutes per side.
- Preheat electric griddle or heavy bottom skillet to 375 degrees F.
- Grease griddle or skillet with butter.
- Add soaked slices to hot griddle and allow to cook, flipping only once, until golden brown on each side, about 4 minutes per side.
- Keep slices warm in oven while frying next batch
- Serve immediately while very warm.
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