Description
This comforting and decadent Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Maple Rum Sauce combines soft cubes of day-old French bread soaked in a spiced sweet potato custard, baked to golden perfection, and served with a luscious maple rum sauce. Perfect for cozy gatherings or holiday brunch, it’s a warm, indulgent dessert that pairs beautifully with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and crunchy pecans.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread Pudding
- 1 loaf of 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)
Optional Toppings
- Vanilla ice cream
- Whipped cream
- Chopped pecans
Instructions
- Prepare Bread and Baking Dish. Place the cubed or torn day-old French bread into a large bowl and set aside. Grease a 10×10-inch (or similar) baking dish with butter or cooking spray and set aside.
- Make the Custard Mixture. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy whipping cream, sweet potato puree, dark brown sugar, melted butter, chopped pecans, vanilla essence, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until fully combined.
- Soak the Bread. Pour the custard mixture over the bread cubes. Using a spatula or gloved hands, gently toss the bread until all pieces are well saturated. Set the bowl aside to allow the bread to soak the custard mixture.
- Preheat Oven and Bake. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Transfer the soaked bread mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the custard is set and the edges are golden brown.
- Prepare Maple Rum Sauce. While the pudding bakes, combine butter, sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, and dark brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir briefly, allowing the butter to melt and the ingredients to semi-combine. Increase heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in maple extract and rum until fully incorporated.
- Apply Sauce and Cool. Pour half of the warm maple rum sauce evenly over the baked bread pudding. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes to cool and allow the sauce to set. Reserve the remaining sauce in a small container for serving.
- Serve. Slice the bread pudding into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature. Pass the remaining maple rum sauce for drizzling as desired. Optionally, top servings with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and chopped pecans for extra indulgence. Reheat sauce gently if it thickens on cooling.
Notes
- Using day-old French bread helps the cubes soak up the custard without becoming too mushy.
- The sweet potato puree adds natural sweetness and moisture, enhancing the texture and flavor.
- Maple extract can be substituted with pure maple syrup for a more natural taste, though adjust sugar accordingly.
- Allowing the pudding to rest after applying sauce helps the flavors meld and the sauce to soak in.
- Reheat the maple rum sauce gently to restore pourable consistency if it thickens when cooled.
- For a nut-free version, omit pecans or replace with toasted seeds of choice.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: sweet potato bread pudding, maple rum sauce, bread pudding dessert, holiday dessert, baked bread pudding
