My mom has this cookbook called “The Cake Mix Doctor.” The idea is that you take a regular box cake mix, add some special ingredients, make your own frosting, and wham! You have a better cake than you would have had by just adding water, oil, and eggs. Honestly, it is a good idea since you basically just skip measuring dry ingredients. Plus, canned frosting is garbage, so you’re already making an enormous improvement by making the frosting yourself. The special ingredients ranged from canned tomato soup, to sour cream, crushed pineapple, and even melted ice cream.
Now, I never made the melted ice cream cake from that book, but I certainly thought about it. With that recipe in mind, I created this bread pudding.
Written here is exactly how I made the bread pudding. You’ll see a lot of “optional” ingredients. This is because the ice cream will be the cream, flavor, and sugar, for the most part. If you want vanilla bean bread pudding, then rather than add cinnamon and nutmeg, add vanilla extract. This recipe is totally what you want it to be, so have fun with it!
If you want any other suggestions, leave a comment and I can try giving you some flavor pairing suggestions.
Melted Ice Cream Bread Pudding
Ingredients
1/2 loaf bread (I’m using pretzel bread, but use anything you would like to)
1 3/4 c melted ice cream (I’m using Talenti Belgian Chocolate Gelato)
1/2 c milk (I’m using almond milk)
2 eggs
2 tbsp melted butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
Hot fudge (optional)
Whipped cream (optional)
Directions
- Set ice cream out on counter for a couple hours to melt.
- Mix melted ice cream, milk, and eggs together in a large bowl. Add melted butter, while stirring. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, if using.
- Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and add to the ice cream mixture. Also, add in the chocolate chips, if desired. Stir until coated.
- Cover and chill for at least two hours.
- Spray 1.5 quart casserole dish with nonstick spray. Pour the bread pudding mixture into the dish and spread out evenly.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Bake, uncovered, for 35-45 minutes or until custard is set (the bread pudding will have puffed up and not look too jiggly or moist in the center).
- Cool for 10 minutes before serving. (See note)
- Serve with hot fudge and whipped cream, if desired.
Note
You may think, as I thought, that this bread pudding would be delicious served cold! I was completely wrong. It got really grainy and was pretty unsatisfying. Perhaps you will have better luck with different bread or different ice cream. However, I thought this recipe was perfect served warm!