Red Velvet Doughnut Bread Pudding

Ever wonder why you never see a  fully frosted slice of bread pudding? Other than the fact that the combination of frosting and pudding can be too sweet, its also just really difficult to frost a pudding. Nevertheless, I persisted. And I even made a cute frosting flower!! This recipe is the reason I posted the unfinished Red Velvet Doughnut recipe. All that work just for Red Velvet Doughnut Bread Pudding, but I feel like it was worth it!

If you don’t have access to red velvet doughnuts or the ambition to make them yourself, you can substitute in red velvet cake or muffins.

Red Velvet Doughnut Bread Pudding

Ingredients

5-6 stale red velvet doughnuts (I used this recipe)
4 oz cream cheese (softened)
2 Tbsp butter (softened)
1/3 c sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 c half and half
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese (softened)
4 Tbsp butter (softened)
3 c confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Make or buy red velvet cake doughnuts and let them get stale for 3-5 days. (Alternatively, substitute red velvet muffins or cake).
2. 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.
3. Remove doughnuts from oven and tear into 1-inch pieces.
4. Beat together softened cream cheese, softened butter, and sugar in large mixing bowl, until smooth.
5. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
6. Add half-and-half, salt, nutmeg, and vanilla. Beat on low until well combined.
7. Stir in pieces of red velvet doughnuts.
8. Let bread pudding mixture soak for 2-3 hours, covered, in refrigerator.
9. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (Fahrenheit) .
10. Spray 4 ramekins with non-stick spray and distribute bread pudding mixture evenly between the ramekins.
11. Make a water bath. Place a roasting pan on the middle oven rack, and fill with boiling water to a depth of 1-2 inches. Place the ramekins in the water bath and bake for 10 minutes.
12. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for 15-25 minutes or until custard is set (the bread pudding will have puffed up and not look too jiggly or moist in the center).
13. Place on cooling rack for at least ten minutes (or an hour, if frosting them.
14. Serve warm, or cold with Cream Cheese Frosting (directions follow).
15. To frost the bread pudding, unmold from the ramekin. Place on a serving platter with a dollop of frosting underneath the pudding, to keep it in place. Pat the top and sides of the bread pudding with paper towel. Using an offset spatula or piping bag, frost as you would a cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting Directions:

1. Beat together softened cream cheese and butter for about a minute.
2. Sift in the confectioners sugar in about 6 batches. Beat well after each addition.
3. Add in the vanilla extract, and beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.