Super easy pumpkin bread pudding with a gooey caramel sauce

Pumpkin bread pudding sits on a slate plate with a gooey caramel sauce drizzled on top

Pumpkin Bread pudding is deliciously simple to make, and uses simple ingredients to make a tasty dessert (or afternoon snack) that’s nothing short of amazing!

There aren’t many recipes that can transform a bit of pumpkin and some stale bread into a dessert that’s sure to have the sweet-tooths coming back for a second (or third) helping.

This pumpkin bread pudding recipe makes a smooth and gooey sauce that’s smothered over the bread and infused with big chunks of roasted pumpkin. Along with a dash of cinnamon, some nutmeg, and a little ginger, and you’ve got a dessert that’s sure to get a huge thumbs up from dessert aficionados.

Serving:

10 people / 80 grams per person

 

Ready In:

Prepare 20 minutes / cook 45 minutes

 

Skill Level

Easy

 

Serve with:

Some vanilla ice-cream or a café con leche

About This Recipe

Pumpkin Bread pudding is actually pretty similar to a pumpkin pie bread pudding and is even easier to make. This pumpkin bread pudding recipe is great on its own when warmed slightly, or even better with a little fresh whipped cream.

I’d be lying if I said I’ve only made this recipe once for this blog. In all honesty, I load the cycle panniers with as many pumpkins as they can carry from the local farm as soon as they’re ready and pretty much make this every week in fall…and winter.

A huge pile of various pumpkins

For those looking to take this dessert recipe to the next level (who isn’t!) then take some time to make the honey-infused caramel sauce so you can drizzle as your heart desires! This pumpkin bread pudding recipe will change your life!

Best pumpkin to use for pumpkin bread pudding

Pumpkin bread pudding is an excellent recipe to make during fall and it’s perfect as a Thanksgiving bread pudding that uses up some pumpkins left over from Halloween. But, be warned, those bright orange Halloween pumpkins are not really ideal as they have soft flesh that can taste a little dull. 

Use a hard fleshed pumpkin such as butternut squash (or acorn squash) as the flesh softens nicely and sweetens once roasted. Of course, if you don’t have any fresh pumpkin around, you can always use canned pumpkin, although don’t expect the flavor to be anywhere as rich compared to roasted pumpkin.

Roasted pumpkin sits on a baking tray

Do you need to use stale bread?

Some might be a little put off by using stale bread, but in all honesty, you can use fresh bread, it just takes a little more time to absorb the flavors as the bread is already full of moisture. Stale bread works well as it is dry and craving moisture so it soaks in all the pumpkin and spices more easily.

pumpkin bread pudding sits on a slate plate with a caramel sauce

How to make pumpkin bread pudding

Equipment

  • Cake tray 9.5 inches x 12 inches
  • Whisk
  • Spatula 
  • Hand blender (optional)

Ingredients

Method (step-by-step)

 

For the Pumpkin bread pudding:

  • 17.5 oz/500 g roasted pumpkin
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 6.7 fl. oz/200 ml double cream
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 2 oz/50 grams ground almonds 
  • 5 oz/150 grams stale bread 

For the caramel sauce

  • 5 oz/150 gr Sugar
  • Water
  • 2 fl. oz/60 ml double cream
  • 1 fresh orange (optional)

Method (step-by-step)

To make the Pumpkin bread pudding:

  • Pre-heat oven to 310°F/160°C 
  • Peel, de-seed, and cut up the pumpkin into 1-inch cubes. On a large baking tray add a dash of olive oil (to stop the pumpkin from sticking) and then add the pumpkin. Once the oven is hot, add to the oven and cook for 45 minutes.
  • While the pumpkin is cooking, prepare the cake mixture. Add the granulated and brown sugars, salt, vanilla essence, ground almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and ground cloves to a large bowl. Mix well till all ingredients are combined. 
  • Slowly add the milk and double cream to the mixture and stir until well blended. 
  • Cut the bread in 1-2 inch slices (or cubes) and mix into the other ingredients. Give around 10-15 minutes for the bread to really soak all the ingredients. 
  • Once the pumpkin is finished cooking, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Turn down the oven to 160 °C (310 °F).
  • Dice or mash around half of the pumpkin and add it to the pudding mixture. Leave the remainder of the pumpkin in chunks and stir through until all ingredients are well mixed.
  • With the oven preheated to 160 °C (310 °F), return the mixture to the oven and bake for around 60 minutes. The top of the pudding should be slightly golden once it is done. 

To make the caramel sauce:

  • On medium-high heat, use a large frying pan and add ⅓ of the sugar and a little water. The sugar will slowly melt, add another ⅓ with some more water and repeat until all of the sugar is dissolved. 
  • Keep an eye on the sugar as it begins to caramelize. It should start to turn a deep golden color in the base of the pan. IT should take around 5-10 minutes. At this point, add a little juice from the orange and stir through the caramel. (Optionally, you can add some lemon zest).
  • Once the caramel has become a rich golden color, remove it from the heat and mix in the double cream.
  • Once the cream is mixed, allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

To serve: 

Best served warm with a café con leche and some fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. 

Nutritional fact sheet
pumpkin bread pudding sits on a slate plate with a caramel sauce

Pumpkin bread pudding with a gooey caramel sauce

Byron
Pumpkin Bread pudding is deliciously simple to make, and uses simple ingredients to make a tasty dessert (or afternoon snack) that’s nothing short of amazing!
This pumpkin bread pudding recipe makes a smooth and gooey sauce that’s smothered over the bread and infused with big chunks of roasted pumpkin. Along with a dash of cinnamon, some nutmeg, and a little ginger, and you’ve got a dessert that’s sure to get a huge thumbs up from dessert aficionados.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course afternoon tea, Dessert, Snack, treat
Cuisine dessert, Mediterranean, spanish
Servings 10 people
Calories 307 kcal

Equipment

  • Cake tray 9.5 inches x 12 inches 24 cm x 30 cm
  • Whisk
  • Spatula
  • Large 12 inch mixing bowl
  • Hand blender (optional)

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin bread pudding:

  • 500 grams/ 17.5 oz roasted pumpkin
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 200 ml/ 6.7 fl. oz. double cream
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 50 grams/ 2 oz ground almonds
  • 150 grams/ 5 oz stale bread

For the caramel sauce

  • 150 grams/ 5 oz Sugar
  • Water
  • 60 ml/ 2 fl. oz. double cream
  • 1 fresh orange optional

Instructions
 

To make the pumkin bread pudding:

  • Pre-heat oven to 310°F/160°C
  • Peel, de-seed, and cut up the pumpkin into 1-inch cubes. On a large baking tray add a dash of olive oil (to stop the pumpkin from sticking) and then add the pumpkin. Once the oven is hot, add to the oven and cook for 45 minutes.
  • While the pumpkin is cooking, prepare the cake mixture. Add the granulated and brown sugars, salt, vanilla essence, ground almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and ground cloves to a large bowl. Mix well till all ingredients are combined.
  • Slowly add the milk and double cream to the mixture and stir until well blended.
  • Cut the bread in 1-2 inch slices (or cubes) and mix into the other ingredients. Give around 10-15 minutes for the bread to really soak all the ingredients.
  • Once the pumpkin is finished cooking, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Turn down the oven to 160 °C (310 °F).
  • Dice or mash around half of the pumpkin and add it to the pudding mixture. Leave the remainder of the pumpkin in chunks and stir through until all ingredients are well mixed.
  • With the oven preheated to 160 °C (310 °F), return the mixture to the oven and bake for around 60 minutes. The top of the pudding should be slightly golden once it is done. 

To make the caramel sauce

  • On medium-high heat, use a large frying pan and add ⅓ of the sugar and a little water. The sugar will slowly melt, add another ⅓ with some more water and repeat until all of the sugar is dissolved.
  • Keep an eye on the sugar as it begins to caramelize. It should start to turn a deep golden color in the base of the pan. IT should take around 5-10 minutes. At this point, add a little juice from the orange and stir through the caramel. (Optionally, you can add some lemon zest).
  • Once the caramel has become a rich golden color, remove it from the heat and mix in the double cream.
  • Once the cream is mixed, allow the caramel to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Keyword dessert, pudding, pumpkin, pumpkin bread pudding, spanish, tasty, treats, yummy