Did you make too much banana bread? Did some of it get dry before you could eat it? Did you--oops--leave that loaf in the oven too long? Or did you pull a loaf from the freezer and discover the bread was on the dry side? Not to worry. You can make Banana Bread Breakfast Bake. I make the bakes in my air fryer, but you can also bake them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, if you'd prefer. The banana bread in the breakfast bakes, like French toast, gets moistened with an egg-milk mixture, and you'll never know the bread was less than stellar. Plus, the banana bread lends incredible flavor to the breakfast bakes. I usually put nuts, dried fruit, and sometimes cinnamon and nutmeg in my banana bread, so the bakes benefit from those additions (if you don't include those in your banana bread, you might want to add them to the recipe). More bananas and a little brown sugar on top means the bakes come out moist, full of banana flavor, and with a caramel-like topping. So the next time you have leftover banana bread, count your blessings. You have the makings of an excellent and special breakfast! And the bakes are even better topped with a bit of vanilla Greek yogurt!
Banana Bread Breakfast Bake -- Makes 2 Small Bakes or One Large Bake
1 1/3 cup of milk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 loaf of banana bread (from a 9- X 5-inch loaf)
(1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, 2 tablespoons of raisins, 2-4 tablespoons of chopped nuts--all optional, but good if you didn't include them in your original banana bread)
1 large banana, peeled and sliced
1-2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar
In a large bowl, whisk together well the milk, eggs, and vanilla. Crumble in the banana bread and add any additional items, if you'd like--raisins, spices, nuts, etc.). Divide the mixture between two small oven-safe baking dishes (approximately 4-inches square) that you have prepared by spraying with non-stick cooking spray. Divide the banana slices between the two dishes, placing the banana pieces on top of the egg/banana bread mixture. Sprinkle on the brown sugar evenly. Spritz the tops of the bakes with a little non-stick cooking spray (so the fan in the air fryer doesn't blow the sugar off). Put one dish at a time in the air fryer basket and cook the banana bakes at 320 degrees for 15-20 minutes each or until a deep golden brown and bubbly on top. Alternatively, put the batter into a deep pie dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, place the bananas on top, dust with brown sugar, and bake at 350 in a conventional oven for about 30 minutes. Let the banana bakes cool a few minutes before serving.
