Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Maple Rum Sauce Recipe
This Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Maple Rum Sauce is a cozy and indulgent dessert that combines day-old French bread soaked in a rich custard made with sweet potato puree, warm spices, and chopped pecans. Baked until golden and served with a luscious maple rum sauce, it’s perfect for autumn or holiday gatherings. Topped optionally with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, this comforting dessert offers layers of flavor and texture that will delight any crowd.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Bread Pudding
- 1 loaf day-old French bread (about 14 ounces), cut into cubes
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup sweet potato puree
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- 1 tablespoon vanilla essence (extract or paste)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Maple Rum Sauce
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon maple extract
- ¼ cup rum (Myers’s dark rum recommended)
For Serving (Optional)
- Vanilla ice cream
- Whipped cream
- Chopped pecans
Instructions
- Prepare the bread and baking dish: Place the cubed or torn bread into a large bowl and set aside. Grease a 10×10-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray and set aside.
- Mix the custard: In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, sweet potato puree, dark brown sugar, melted butter, chopped pecans, vanilla essence, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until thoroughly combined.
- Soak the bread: Pour the custard mixture over the bread cubes and use a spatula or your hands (wearing disposable gloves if preferred) to toss gently, ensuring all bread pieces are well saturated. Allow the mixture to rest and soak.
- Preheat the oven: Position an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). When ready, transfer the soaked bread mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake the pudding: Bake the bread pudding at 350°F for 50 minutes to 1 hour until the custard is set and the top edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Make the maple rum sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, and dark brown sugar. Stir briefly to semi-combine, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts. Increase heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Remove from heat and stir in the maple extract and rum until fully incorporated.
- Serve the pudding: Pour half of the warm maple rum sauce evenly over the bread pudding. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes to cool and allow flavors to meld. Reserve the remaining sauce in a small container for serving.
- Slice and garnish: Cut the bread pudding into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature, passing the remaining maple rum sauce on the side. Optionally, top with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and additional chopped pecans. Reheat the sauce gently if it thickens as it cools.
Notes
- Use day-old French bread for best texture—fresh bread may become too mushy.
- Allow the bread to soak thoroughly to ensure moist pudding.
- The maple rum sauce will thicken as it cools; reheat gently to return to pouring consistency.
- Adjust the amount of rum to taste, or substitute with rum extract for a milder flavor.
- For a nut-free version, omit pecans or substitute with seeds.
- This recipe can be made a day in advance; store pudding and sauce separately and reheat before serving.
Keywords: sweet potato bread pudding, maple rum sauce, holiday dessert, baked bread pudding, autumn dessert, pecan bread pudding
