This recipe was totally inspired by the “Throwdown” that went on between the goddess, Ree Drumond, aka “The Pioneer Woman” and Bobby Flay. (If you don’t know what I am talking about look her up immediately and then check your local listings for the Food Network/Throwdown with Bobby Flay.

They went head to head over Thanksgiving dinner in a full blown cooking battle. Not only because I swoon for her blog, but because I had the recent PLEASURE of meeting and spending time with her, I was voting for Ree. Lets just say, she did not disappoint!

After gushing, I guess it is weird that I chose to be inspired by Bobby’s bread pudding. It just sounded so good and so easy. Guess what- it is both ☺

I used my own spiced pumpkin bread recipe, (which could be made a day or two ahead of time), and then whipped up a really easy custard to bake it in. The result was an incredibly moist, pumpkin flavored and perfectly spiced dessert. A fabulous substitute for pumpkin pie, or in addition to pumpkin pie!

I would serve it hot with whipped cream if you do it for Thanksgiving dessert. You could also make it right up until it is to go in the oven early in the day, and then put it in the oven when you get where you are going or right before sitting down for dinner.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding, serves 12

2 loaves Spiced Pumpkin Bread, (recipe follows)
2 cups whole milk
1 cup ½ and ½
1 Tbs Vanilla Bean paste or extract
4 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup brown sugar
butter for greasing the pan

Spiced Pumpkin Bread
Makes 2 loaves

1 cup butter, salted
3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cups (16oz) pumpkin puree
3 cups flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 ½ tsp ground ginger
1 Tbs cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl mix together all of the dry ingredients.

Then add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.

When those are combined, mix in the pumpkin until creamy.

Spray two loaf pans with cooking spray, and divide the batter between them.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. Remove the bread, and turn the heat up to 450 degrees.

Let the bread cool, and then cut into cubes and place on a baking sheet.

Toast the bread for about 8 minutes at 450 degrees.

When the bread is toasted, remove the bread from the oven and turn the temperature back down to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile butter a 9×13” glass pan with butter.

Spoon all of the bread into the glass pan.

In a small saucepan, heat the milk, half and half and vanilla over medium heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and pumpkin puree.

Add the hot milk a little at a time until the eggs, sugar and pumpkin is tempered without scrambling!

Pour the custard over the pan full of bread and let the bread soak the custard up, about 10 minutes.

(After it has been sitting)

Place the 9×13” pan in a large roasting pan full of about 1” of water. The water should rise but not overflow the glass pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or until barely set in the center.

Serve hot or cold, best with freshly whipped cream! Enjoy!