Pumpkin Bread Pudding

It’s a good thing I bought extra canned pumpkin, because I keep finding different pumpkin recipes I want to try! This Pumpkin Bread Pudding recipe is adapted from one I saw on VeryBestBaking.com. It has a lot of healthy ingredients and is topped with a yummy Brown Sugar?Yogurt Sauce. I added a few more things to the recipe that I listed as “optional”…pure maple syrup and chopped pecans. I used 10 cups of bread cubes when I made it. If you use more, it will probably have a lighter pumpkin taste, be more “puffy” and a little less dense…it just depends how you like your bread pudding. This works great for a fall brunch or dessert?if you serve it as a dessert, you can top it off with whipped cream instead of the yogurt sauce. This recipe makes about 15 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

10-12 cups cubed whole-wheat bread (about 12-15 slices, depending on how thick the slices are; the less bread you use, the more moist the bread pudding will be)
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
2 (12-oz. cans) evaporated milk (regular or low fat)
1 (15-0z. can) pure pumpkin
4 large eggs, slightly beaten, or 1 cup refrigerated egg substitute
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3-1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Combine cubed bread and dried cranberries in large bowl. In another medium-to-large bowl, combine evaporated milk, pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, spices, and salt; blend well. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture and stir, coating all the bread cubes. Pour this mixture into your greased baking dish and let stand for 10 minutes.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. If you’re using 12 cups of bread cubes, your baking time will probably be a little less, so check it around 40 minutes. If desired, sprinkle chopped pecans over mixture during the last 10-15 minutes of baking time.

When bread pudding is done, drizzle the top with maple syrup if desired. Let cool 5-10 minutes and cut into squares.Serve warm with the Brown Sugar-Yogurt Sauce and additional chopped pecans for garnish, if desired. You can even drizzle on a little more maple syrup very lightly over each piece if you want.

BROWN SUGAR-YOGURT SAUCE:

1 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt (regular or lowfat)
3 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

Combine yogurt and brown sugar in small bowl and mix well.

This bread pudding really does taste best warm, so if you’re making it for a brunch, I’d recommend making it the same morning instead of the night before. Your kitchen will smell great while it’s baking!

Linked to Toot Your Horn Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Show and Tell, Strut Your Stuff Thursday, Favorite Things Saturday.

Filed under: Autumn, Breakfast/Brunch, Food and Recipes, Other Desserts, Seasonal Tagged: baking, breakfast, Brown Sugar, brunch, maple syrup, recipe, Vanilla extract