Description
Sweet Potato Pecan Bread Pudding is a deliciously comforting dessert combining creamy mashed sweet potatoes, crunchy pecans, and tender bread cubes soaked in a spiced custard. This warm, golden-baked pudding offers a perfect balance of sweetness and autumnal flavors, ideal for cozy family gatherings or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
Dry Ingredients
- 4 cups bread cubes, preferably stale or day-old
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- A pinch of salt
Dairy & Eggs
- 2 cups milk, whole or 2%
- 4 large eggs
- Butter, for greasing the baking dish
Flavorings
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Boil and mash sweet potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Boil the peeled and cubed sweet potatoes in water for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain and mash them, then set aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare bread cubes: Cut stale or day-old bread into cubes and place them in a large mixing bowl, ready for soaking with the custard mixture.
- Mix custard and sweet potatoes: In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt until well combined. Stir the mashed sweet potatoes into this custard mixture until evenly incorporated.
- Combine bread and custard: Pour the custard mixture over the bread cubes and chopped pecans. Gently fold to coat all the bread pieces thoroughly. Let the mixture sit for 15-20 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the custard.
- Bake the pudding: Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter and pour the soaked bread mixture into the dish, spreading evenly. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the custard is set.
- Cool and serve: Remove the bread pudding from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Serve warm, optionally drizzling with maple syrup or accompanied by whipped cream or ice cream for added indulgence.
Notes
- Use stale or day-old bread for better absorption of the custard.
- For a dairy-free variation, substitute milk with almond or oat milk and use a vegan butter alternative.
- Adjust the sweetness by varying the amount of brown sugar or adding a drizzle of maple syrup when serving.
- Ensure the sweet potatoes are well mashed for a smooth texture within the pudding.
- This pudding can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated before baking.
