Looking for an easy bread pudding recipe? This fruit cake bread pudding can be put together in minutes and is a great way to jazz up leftover fruit cake! Dotted with white chocolate and sprinkled with pomegranate arils, it’s one delicious bite.

Fruit cake gets a bad rap. You say “fruit cake” to someone and they usually turn up their nose. I mean, I understand.
When you think of fruit, you don’t usually tend to think of cake or vice versa. However, it’s so popular this time of year, especially here in Newfoundland.
If you don’t enjoy fruit cake in it’s natural form, then this fruit cake bread pudding will surely change your mind.

Easy Bread Pudding Recipe Using Leftover Fruit Cake
Every year my mother-in-law gives us a lovely dark fruit cake. For those who are unfamiliar with this version of fruit cake, it has molasses and lots of clove. It’s warming and delicious with ice cream.
However, the gifted cake is huge, and it’s a lot for hubby and I. This fruit cake bread pudding is an easy, and delicious, way to use up some of that cake and enjoy it in a new and exciting form.

How To Make It
The preparation of this couldn’t be easier. Nobody has time for fussy recipes during the busy holiday season so this one is perfect.
Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
- Place the cubes of fruit cake in a greased skillet.
- Pour over liquid mixture of milk, cream, eggs, vanilla and orange zest.
- Press down so the cake soaks up the milk mixture.
- Sprinkle with chocolate chunks and bake.
- Garnish with pomegranate arils and walnuts.

This fruit cake bread pudding would be one delicious way to start Christmas morning. While it’s in the oven, sit back and sip on that first coffee (always the best one, may I add) or a mug of homemade hot chocolate.
If you make this fruit cake bread pudding recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!

Fruit Cake Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- Baking spray, to grease skillet
- 5 cups dark fruit cake, loosely packed and cut into cubes (see "Notes" below)
- ¾ cup milk
- â…“ cup heavy cream
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest, from one orange (approximately)
- 2 ounces white chocolate, roughly chopped
- â…“ cup roughly chopped walnuts
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate arils
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 10-inch cast-iron skillet (or similarly sized baking dish) with baking spray. To skillet, add fruit cake and set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together the milk, heavy cream, eggs, vanilla extract, and orange zest until well combined.
- Pour the milk mixture over the fruit cake and press the fruit cake down to soak up some of the milk mixture.
- Sprinkle chocolate chunks over top. Bake for 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted in the centre of the bread pudding comes out clean.
- Carefully remove from the oven and garnish with walnuts and pomegranate arils. Serve as is or with ice cream or whipped cream!
Notes
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
© Girl Heart Food Inc. Photographs and content are copyright protected.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Aditi Bahl
this is such a great idea. easy to put together and delicious. will be great for sudden guest.
Girl Heart Food
For sure! Thank you so much 🙂
Julie
I’ve never thought about making bread pudding in a cast iron skillet. What a great idea!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Julie 🙂 Love cast iron desserts!
Sri Mallya
This is so creative and looks so gorgeous. I am totally in love with the recipe. Yummmmy!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you so very much 🙂
Anne Murphy
What a great idea! I do like (most) fruitcake, but I also like bread pudding – and putting the two together sounds perfect!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks so much, Anne! It really is a yummy mash up 🙂
Emily Leary
What a great idea! I’ve used pastries before but never fruitcake! You’ve totally inspired me.
Girl Heart Food
Happy to hear that 🙂 Thank you Emily!
Tammy
Well, I’m adding this to my list of recipes to try! Consider it added to my holiday repertoire. Love your pictures ^_^
Girl Heart Food
Yay! Hope you love it Tammy! Thanks for the kind comment 🙂
Sharon
This is a genius holiday dessert! Taking a staple of the holidays season and adding fresh fruits and making it into a bread pudding, so good!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Sharon!! It’s a favourite for sure 🙂
Eileen Kelly
I am a fruitcake fan! Love that I can use leftover fruit cake and make a delish breakfast for any morning! This is a perfect Christmas morning breakfast, No fuss and the flavors are amazing! Pomegranate arils are a festive addition!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Eileen! They really add a lovely pop of flavour and freshness 🙂
georgie
this looks amazing! I love fruit cake but can never seem to find it here! the ones in Australia are delicious!
Kiki Johnson
This is such a great idea! We get a lot of those as a present around Christmas and we always end up with half a loaf here and a quarter loaf there. This is perfect for using up these leftovers that would otherwise be wasted!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Kiki! It would certainly be a lovely way to use all that extra cake 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend!
Dominique | Perchance to Cook
This is the best use of fruit cake ever!!! I love the idea to use fruit cake to make bread pudding. I’m adding this to my festive recipe to-make list!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks Dominique! Hope you love it 🙂