This Cinnamon Pumpkin Bread Pudding comes out very moist and very flavorful and sweet but not too sweet. Instead of heavy cream I used low fat light coconut milk that does the same thing and adds another layer of flavor.  This pudding gets layers of sweetness by the naturally sweet Kabochca Squash, (that some people call pumpkin) white sugar, dark brown sugar and the main more flavorful sweetness from dates. The perfect amounts of spices make it very balanced in flavor. For a dessert it’s relatively healthy because it’s mostly made of fiber rich squash.

Ingredients- you need one lightly greased baking dish and your oven set to 350 degrees.

One pumpkin or squash cooked and cleaned up cut or broken into bite size chunks. (I used 1lb. 13 oz. of squash after it was cleaned)

One 13.5 oz. can light coconut milk

14 oz. loaf of plain bread torn in chunks

5 whole eggs beaten

2 oz. melted butter

17 dates chopped

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

2 oz. spicy sweet pecans (one oz. crushed) (the rest for finishing)

About a Tablespoon of Turbinados Sugar (raw brown) for finishing

Extra cinnamon for finishing

A small sprinkle of sea salt for finishing.

Directions

In a large mixing bowl combine the coconut milk, eggs, dates, white sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and crushed pecans. Mix well. Add bread and let soak at least a half hour and maybe longer depending on your bread. The bread I used was very light and fluffy. (a heavier bread will need more time and possibly more liquid)

After the bread is nice and soaked add the pumpkin, mix well and pour in your baking pan. Top the mixture with your remaining pecans, a dusting of cinnamon, turbinados sugar, a small amount of fresh crushed sea salt.

Cover the pan with foil and place in a 350 degree oven for 50 minutes. After 50 minutes remove the foil and bake for ten more minutes.