King Cake Bread Pudding takes everything you love about a traditional king cake (sweet dough, cinnamon swirls, colorful sugar) and transforms it into a rich, custardy dessert that feels downright decadent. It’s the perfect way to use leftover king cake or celebrate Mardi Gras with something warm, comforting, and absolutely unforgettable.

This version bakes up soft in the center, lightly crisp on top, and drenched in a silky sweet cream glaze. It tastes like New Orleans in every bite.

Ingredients

Bread Pudding

• Bite-size pieces of king cake
• Eggs
• Egg yolks
• Evaporated milk
• Sweetened condensed milk
• Heavy whipping cream
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla extract or vanilla bean powder
• Butter (for greasing the pan)

Sweet Cream Glaze

• Powdered sugar
• Heavy whipping cream
• Vanilla extract

Optional Garnish

• Mardi Gras sprinkles (💜💛💚)

How to Make King Cake Bread Pudding

1. Prepare the King Cake

Cut the king cake into bite-size cubes and place them in a large bowl.
Tip: Day-old king cake works best, slightly dry cake soaks up custard beautifully.

2. Make the Custard

In a large bowl or blender, combine:

• Eggs
• Egg yolks
• Evaporated milk
• Sweetened condensed milk
• Heavy cream
• Sugar
• Vanilla

Blend well with an immersion blender or mixer until completely smooth.
You want the custard fully emulsified with no streaks of egg.

3. Assemble the Bread Pudding

Generously butter a half-sheet pan or deep 9×12 baking dish.

Spread the king cake pieces evenly in the pan.
Slowly pour the custard over the top, making sure every piece is coated.

Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes so the cake can fully absorb the custard.

4. Bake

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for about 90 minutes, checking around the 60-minute mark.
The bread pudding is done when:

• The center is set,
• No liquid custard remains pooling,
• The top looks lightly golden.

5. Make the Sweet Cream Glaze

In a small bowl, whisk together:

• Powdered sugar
• A splash of heavy cream
• A little vanilla

Adjust the consistency, add more cream for a pourable glaze or more powdered sugar for a thicker drizzle.

6. Finish & Serve

Drizzle the warm bread pudding with the sweet cream glaze.
Top with festive Mardi Gras sprinkles if you want the classic purple–green–gold flair.

Serve warm and enjoy every gooey, custardy, king-cake-laced bite.

King Cake Bread Pudding

This King Cake Bread Pudding is a rich, custardy twist on the classic Mardi Gras king cake. Made with leftover cake, a silky cream custard, and a sweet vanilla glaze, it’s warm, festive, and perfect for any celebration.

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Ingredients

  

• 1 whole medium king cake or leftover king cake, cut into bite-size pieces
• 4 large eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
• 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• ½ quart 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean powder
• Butter for greasing the pan

Sweet Cream Glaze

• Powdered sugar
• Heavy whipping cream
• Splash of vanilla extract

Optional Garnish

• Mardi Gras sprinkles 💜💛💚

Method

 

Prepare the King Cake

1. Cut the king cake into bite-size pieces and set aside in a large bowl. Day-old or leftover king cake works beautifully here—it soaks up every drop of that rich custard.

Make the Custard

1. In a large mixing bowl, add:
2. Eggs
3. Egg yolks
4. Evaporated milk
5. Sweetened condensed milk
6. Heavy whipping cream
7. Sugar
8. Vanilla
9. Blend using an immersion (emulsion) blender or a mixer until smooth and fully combined. You want a silky custard with the eggs completely dissolved into the cream.

Assemble the Bread Pudding

1. Generously butter a half sheet pan or deep 9×12 baking dish.
2. Spread the king cake pieces evenly in the pan, then slowly pour the custard over the top, making sure every piece gets a good soak. Let it rest for 30 minutes—this is where the magic happens.

Bake

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for about 90 minutes.
3. Check around the 60-minute mark. The bread pudding is ready when the center is set and the custard is fully cooked through.

Make the Sweet Cream Glaze

1. Whisk powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, and a splash of vanilla until s