Bread pudding with banana, piloncillo, and cheese adds a fruity twist to the Lenten classic. This family-friendly dessert is a sweet, comforting, tropical variation of capirotada.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Slice the French bread into 1-inch rounds. Arrange slices on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 7–9 minutes per side, until golden and firm.
In a saucepan, combine piloncillo, water, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Simmer gently for 10–12 minutes until a syrup forms, then discard cinnamon and cloves.
Peel and slice bananas into ½-inch rounds.
Layer toasted bread, banana slices, raisins, pecans, and crumbled Cotija cheese in the baking dish. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used.
Slowly pour the warm syrup evenly over the layered ingredients, ensuring all bread is moistened.
Dot with small pieces of butter across the top.
Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until the pudding is golden and bubbling at the edges.
Let capirotada cool for 15 minutes before serving for best texture.