Sweet Potato Bread Pudding
I had the pleasure of doing a dinner party for my childhood pastor a couple of year ago. The Powell family is like a second family to me. Growing up their family and my family would go out to lunch after church often. I will always remember that Pastor Powell would get bread pudding as his dessert. Back then, I thought bread pudding was gross, but that’s because it was always served with raisins.
When “The Powell Kids” called me to help them celebrate their parents anniversary, I knew dessert had to be bread pudding. A fall wedding anniversary meant fall flavors, so sweet potato bread pudding was born! Traditional bread pudding includes day old bread soaked in a creamy egg custard. The twist to sweet potato bread pudding includes the earthiness of sweet potato mixed with warm spices and brown sugar. A splash of bourbon rounds out all of the flavors and creates the perfect compliment to my salted caramel sauce.
The Powell family requested the recipe to this dessert immediately, and while it took me a while to finally document it, it’s become a Thanksgiving staple for several families and households. I hope you love it as much as my second family loves it!
Sweet Potato Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 10 cups day old bread, torn into pieces
- 2 small sweet potatoes, roasted and mashed
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ cup whole milk
- 2 tbsp bourbon
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp allspice
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Caramel Sauce
Instructions
- Lay torn bread into a 9x13 casserole dish and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, cream and milk until fully combined. Whisk in the cooked sweet potato and brown sugar. Add the bourbon butter, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice and whisk until incorporated.
- Pour the custard mixture over the torn bread pieces ensure each piece of bread has fully absorbed custard. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. Overnight is preferred as it will make the bread pudding creamier.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Remove the bread pudding from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Bake the bread pudding for 55 to 60 minutes or until the center of the bread pudding is no longer jiggly and the top is golden brown.
- Allow the bread pudding to cool for 15-20 minutes before serving. Top with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
Notes
If sweet potato is not your thing and you happen to be a pumpkin lover, you can absolutely substitute sweet potato for pumpkin. Tanorria’s Table is always going to be team sweet potato!
Allow bread pudding to cool completely before covering with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerating for up to 1 week.