To Die for Recipe: Pumpkin Bread Pudding and a Giveaway!

Let me preface this post by telling you a secret: I hate pumpkin pie. How can I detest a humble dessert, you ask? Well that's the problem: pumpkin pie is not dessert. Rather, it is a vegetal mess, a disgraceful pairing of bland crust and not-quite-wholesome filling. When I want dessert, I want unabashed indulgence, not a squash that can't get it's act together. This pumpkin bread pudding is therefore perfect for me. It's everything pumpkin pie wishes it could be!

Honestly, this is SO good. Smooth, melt in your mouth custard goodness meets the tender give of crusted bread, and a subtle pumpkin flavour complements the gentle undertones of spice. Plus it's practically foolproof: no finicky pastry and weepy pie filling to contend with. Just stir, pour, and bake. Not only would I serve this at Thanksgiving with a dollop of whipped cream, I would also enjoy it at a winter brunch. Or maybe just by myself, with a really big spoon and no one to interrupt me.

 
But wait, there's more! Leave me a comment with your favourite Thanksgiving dessert---or if you're not celebrating Thanksgiving this week, just share your favourite holiday dessert---and you'll be in the running to win the GORGEOUS cookbook that this recipe came from! The All-American Dessert Book is one of my favourite cookbooks of all time and boasts such fare as 'Vanilla Chocolate Trifle with Apricot Sauce' and 'Bourbon Pecan Fudge Cake'. Believe me, you WANT this cookbook, if only because the photos are so droolworthy. And don't worry, I'll remind you about the giveaway with another divine Thanksgiving recipe from this book, coming later in the week!

Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Courtesy of The All-American Dessert Book by Nancy Baggett

4 large eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar, plus 3 tablespoons for sprinkling on pudding
1 cup whole milk
1 cup whipping cream
1 15 oz. can pumpkin (not pie filling, just plain pumpkin)
2 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
5 1/2 cups cubed French bread (Brioche would be amazing too!)
3/4 cup dried cranberries (I used dried cherries for fun)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Beat eggs until pale yellow and fluffy. Beat in brown sugar until dissolved and add milk, cream, pumpkin and spices. Pour over the bread, stir to coat, and let sit for 10 minutes. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, then sprinkle the 3 tablespoons sugar on top. Bake another 15 or so minutes, or until the top is slightly firm when pressed. Cool and devour!

Comments

[Tina]

looks so sinful. I'll have to give it a try though. bread pudding is one of my all time favorite deserts.

[nkp]

Firstly, that Catherine Holm baker is beautiful. I LOVE it and the color is fantastic!!! As for desserts, in our family every special occassion required a napoleon. My mother would bake sheet after sheet of puff pastry, a mountain of golden, flakey goodness. I still remember, as a child, standing on a step stool in our tiny apartment kitchen and stirring the pastry cream with a wooden spoon. But these days, strange as it may seem, my favorite "sweet" is a crusty baguette slathered with Nutella. Really, anything slathered with Nutella!

[Lindsay H]

I love love pumpkin cheesecake! Puts me in the mood....and its almost time to partake in some this week :) yea!

- Lindsay H
goldandpearls@gmail.com

[Courtney]

Ok, first of all, your commentary on pumpkin pie- hilarious! I actually do enjoy pumpkin pie, but this recipe for pumpkin bread pudding sounds a-mazing! I love bread puddings (one of my favorite Christmas desserts!) I would definitely try the dried cherries with it too (oh, how I love dried cherries!)

My favorite dessert for Thanksgiving though? That is a tough call- I typically end up taking a small slice of both apple and pumpkin pie (the latter topped with whipped cream, of course!)

[molly]

my mouth is watering as I type this. all time favorite thanksgiving dessert. anything and everything pumpkin.
pumpkin cake.
iced pumpkin cookies.
pumpkin bread.
pumpkin pie.
mini pumpkin whoopies.
i simply love pumpkin!

that book would be a lovely little treat!

[rea (my lovely notebook)]

That pudding looks so delicious. And yes i would like to have that book in my kitchen. (Hope i get lucky :)

I tasted pumpkin pie for the first time this fall and i really loved it. So i`d had to say it`s the best.

[Lori]

I love pumpkin pie and bread pudding so this looks so good! My favorite dessert has to be my mom's apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. So good! The cookbook looks wonderful!

[katie c]

AHHH! vegetal mess?! at least you made up for it by leaving an absolutely delcious-looking recipe for me try out....

[sherrieg]

I love the orange dish! It's fantastic. My fave holiday dessert is a pumpkin cheesecake. Mmmmm.

[Erin]

Eek- stiff competition. Congrats dear Anne - City Sage is rockin! While I am a big fan of pumpkin pie, bread pudding is right up there on my favorites list and I will be trying this recipe for sure! As for my favorite holiday dessert, it is a humble but heartwarming and mouth watering tradition that my grandmother passed down to me. Take left over pie crust, fold in layers in between each you sprinkle cinnamon and sugar and bake for some cinnamon pie. It is not a holiday without it! Happy T-day to you xoxo

[shill]

delish!!! thank's for the recipe :)

[Yin]

I'll have to admit that pumpkin pie is my favorite holiday dessert! But I'm open, I take it in all forms: pumkpin pie ice cream, pumpkin pie blizzards from Dairy Queen... which means I'll definitely be trying this dessert!

Thanks for the giveaway! Happy Thanksgiving!

[Caroline @ Patagonia Gifts]

Have to try this recipe! My fav dessert is apple scrumble with cream. yummy! xoxo

[Alexis]

I like Rote Grütze, which is like a fruit pudding. I especially like it with hot Vanilla Custard Sauce. Yum!

[callie grayson]

i am with you on the pumpkin pie! not for me.
but the dessert you post looks like it would be fantastic.

my favorite dessert on Thanksgiving would have to be my sisters fruit salad, not sure how she makes it but she coats all the fruit with her hand whipped cream. yummy!
oh, and anything chocolate!

[jessica b.]

I'm starting a new tradition this holiday season...making egg nog from scratch...with lots and lots of liquor involved! Mmmmm!

[callie grayson]

I had to add to my post, my sister called me this evening to tell me that since I was not there (she's in Los Angeles and I am in Chicago this Holiday) while she made the hand whipped cream (I am always sticking my finger in the whipped cream tasting it, and she is yelling at me to keep my fingers out) that she over whipped the cream and made butter!

Jessica b. homemade egg nog is absolutely the best. We make it every holiday and let me tell you, Yuuuummmmeeeee!

[Anne]

Apple pie with vanilla bean ice cream. There's just nothing else like it!!

This recipe looks fantastic- I'll definitely have to try it out on my husband. he loves anything pumpkin!

[Marianne]

No matter what dessert I prepare to crown Thanksgiving dinner, my grown sons still crave apple pie. So pie it is. My secret for a really flaky crust is to add vinegar to the dough. I also put some tapioca into the filling to absorb some juices.
But I'm having company this weekend, and I'll be serving your pumpkin bread pudding. It sounds absolutely delicious, and besides, I've just taken all the pumpkins in from my yard and will have lots of puree on hand.

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I use to enjoy this bread with my mom she loves pumpkin She said that its tasty is gorgeous.

[aion kinah]

Well done article that. I’ll make sure to use it.