I love Bread Pudding. It’s such a comfort food. The first time I discovered the love of my dessert life, I was 22 years old and I had just moved to Las Vegas. My soon to be husband and I went to eat at the Golden Nugget Buffet. I remember that at the end of a long line of desserts, sat this huge, gorgeous, barrel looking, copper chafing dish. I was so curious as to what in the world could be so incredible that it would warrant this special station at the buffet. So, I went to look. What I found ruined me forever for all other desserts, and helped me gain 10 pounds! In this beautiful dish sat the most incredibly, delicious, gorgeous bread pudding ever. I couldn’t get enough of it. Filled with moist, cream soaked bread; rich, eggs; plump golden raisins and the spicy, sweet aroma of cinnamon I was in heaven! I had to know how to make this. And so began my quest. I tried every bread pudding recipe I could get my hands on. There are a lot of them out there. I have yet to discover one as good as the bread pudding I had so many years ago. But, I keep trying. I heard that the recipe went away when the hotel was sold back in 2000. The rumor was that the old recipe belonged to the owners mother, and it was not sold with the hotel. I have seen some Golden Nugget Bread Pudding recipes floating around blog world, so I am going to have to get to work investigating and verifying their authenticity. It’s the least I can do!!
Meanwhile, I HAD to make this Pumpkin and Cranberry Bread Pudding. It’s perfect for this time of year, and it is so good. Try it!
Pumpkin and Cranberry Bread Pudding 4 large eggs 1 cup packed Light Brown Sugar 3 tablespoons Light Brown Sugar 1 cup Milk 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream 15 ounces Solid Pack Pumpkin 2 3/4 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger 3/4 teaspoon Ground Allspice 5 1/2 cups Crusty Italian Bread 1 1/2 cups Dried Cranberries Ice Cream Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 7″ X 11″ pan. 
Put your 4 eggs in a bowl, and ….
whisk until they are frothy and smooth.
Add the brown sugar and….
whisk together until the sugar dissolves.
Whisk in the milk, cream, and pumpkin.
Whisk in the cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. Blend all together. 
Start cutting your bread and…
Cut into 1/3″ cubes. I didn’t remove the crust, but you could if you would like. 
Pour the cubed bread into your pan.
Pour your mix into the pan on top of the bread. Add the cranberries. Mix completely. If the bread wants to pop out of the mix and float to the top, just push it down with a spatula. It will stay under the mix as it becomes saturated. I used gloved hands to make sure the bread is thoroughly soaked, and everything is mixed well. 
Bake for 25 minutes. Pull from oven for a minute and sprinkle the 3 tablespoons of light brown sugar on the top. 
Pop back into the oven and cook for an additional 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. 
Serve plain, or with whipped cream or how about…
topped with ice cream! It’s delicious any way you serve it. Thanks for joining me today at The Freshman Cook. and reading my stories! See you tomorrow!
The Freshman Cook: Pumpkin and Cranberry Bread Pudding
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