Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Warm Caramel Sauce

This is a delicious winter dessert. The caramel sauce can be made ahead and warmed up in the microwave, and it also great to make on its own and serve over ice cream. Very decadent if you serve it with whipped cream as well!

Serves 8

Bread pudding
2 cups half and half (light cream or half milk half cream)
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1 cup (packed) plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 large eggs

½ teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 cups 1/2-inch cubes egg bread (about 10-ounces), or cinnamon raison bread, crusts trimmed (I use 1 loaf from Haggen’s, I get the unsliced loaf)
1/2 cup golden raisins

Caramel sauce
1 1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup whipping cream (heavy cream)

Powdered sugar

For bread pudding: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk half and half, pumpkin, dark brown sugar, eggs, spices, and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Fold in bread cubes. Stir in raisins. Transfer mixture to 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Let stand 15 minutes. Bake pumpkin bread pudding until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare caramel sauce: Whisk brown sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. Whisk in cream and stir until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes. You can make this ahead of time, and just reheat in the microwave or back over the stove.

Sift powdered sugar over bread pudding. Serve warm with caramel sauce.