I am steadfast in my opinion that blueberry cake doughnuts are the best kind of doughnuts. However, when there is a chill in the air and an eerie breeze blows fallen leave across my path as I walk from my car to my house with a bag of fresh groceries, I must admit my taste buds yearn for something more seasonal. As I mash my tenth pumpkin of the season–to stock up for making pumpkin pie all through the winter, of course–I wonder, “What if this pumpkin becomes something other than pie?” Pumpkin cake doughnuts, followed shortly by pumpkin doughnut bread pudding, comes to mind.
Yes, I’ve been waiting all year for my favorite doughnut shops to have pumpkin cake doughnuts, and neither of them have yet! (Update: Knead Doughnuts has them as of the post date!) So, I made my own. If your local doughnut shop has the pumpkin doughnuts, definitely you could make this bread pudding with those! Pumpkin bread or pumpkin muffins would also make a great substitute for the doughnuts, really just whatever you have leftovers of would be awesome for this!.
I used this recipe for the doughnuts, and I did glaze them all. I mash my own pumpkin, but I am sure canned will be fine. If using this recipe, roll the dough out to 1/2″ thick, because 1/4″ is too thin, and refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes before rolling out to make it easier to work with.
From my experience of working in a doughnut shop, I know doughnuts go stale after 1-2 days. I made this recipe 4 days after making the doughnuts, which I kept in an airtight container.
Pumpkin Doughnut Bread Pudding
Ingredients
5-6 stale pumpkin doughnuts (I used this recipe)
4 large eggs
1 1/4 c half and half
1/2 c buttermilk
1/2 c sugar
2 Tbsp melted butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
For whipped cream:
2 oz cream cheese (softened)
2 Tbsp sugar
4 oz heavy whipping cream
Directions
- Make or buy pumpkin cake doughnuts and let them get stale for 3-5 days. (Alternatively, substitute pumpkin muffins or pumpkin bread).
- Cut the doughnuts in half and place in single layer in baking sheet. Broil on low (about 250 degrees Fahrenheit), far from the heat for about 3 minutes per side.
- Remove doughnuts from oven and tear into 1-inch pieces.
- Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, buttermilk, sugar, melted butter, salt, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and vanilla together in large mixing bowl.
- Add doughnut pieces and stir.
- Let bread pudding mixture soak for two hours, covered, in refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit) .
- Spray 2-quart casserole dish with non-stick spray and pour bread pudding mixture into the prepared dish.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until custard is set (the bread pudding will have puffed up and not look too jiggly or moist in the center).
- Place on cooling rack for at least ten minutes.
- Serve warm or cold with cream cheese whipped cream (directions follow).
Whipped Cream Directions:
- Place softened cream cheese, sugar, and whipping cream in a bowl.
- Beat with an electric mixer on medium/high speed for about 6 minutes (until stiff peaks form).