Thick white bread slathered in butter, covered in a creamy vanilla mixture then baked in the oven. Serve with a dusting of icing sugar and vanilla ice cream.

A classic Bread and Butter Pudding is super nostalgic for many kiwis. Originating in England, this recipe is synonymous with thrift and frugality. The best results are achieved by using slightly stale white bread; no longer fit for fresh sandwiches but perfect for this baked dessert. Simply butter your bread, arrange in an oven-proof dish and pour over the spiced vanilla mixture. Bake until golden and enjoy with ice cream.
For another take on this classic, you have to try my Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding.
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Ingredient notes:

- Bread: This is the perfect recipe to use up any old bread in! I love using thick white toast bread. You could also substitute this for brioche, croissants or fruit loaf instead of plain bread.
- Butter: Although it's a namesake ingredient, this recipe only calls for 30g of butter which hopefully won't break the bank!
- Sultanas: These can easily be swapped out for raisins if you prefer. Or you can leave them out all together if you don't like them.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.
Step by step instructions:
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake. Grease a baking dish with butter. Cut the crusts off the bread, then slice each piece in half. Spread with softened butter and layer into the dish, slightly overlapping.


Scatter sultanas between the bread layers. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla (if using).


Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread. Gently press the slices down so they soak up the liquid. Leave to sit for 5 minutes before baking.


Bake for 35 minutes until golden and just set in the centre. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with ice cream or custard.

Recipe FAQs:
Use brioche, croissants or fruit loaf instead of plain bread.
Swap cream for extra milk or use a dairy-free alternative such as almond or oat milk.
Yes! In fact, stale bread works even better than super fresh bread as it takes longer for the liquid to soak in (which means it won't go soggy).

Storage:
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until hot.
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Classic Bread and Butter Pudding
Thick white bread slathered in butter, covered in a creamy vanilla mixtue then baked in the oven. Serve with a dusting of icing sugar and vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
- 8 slices white bread
- 30g butter, softened
- 3 Tbsp sultanas
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup cream
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence (optional)
- 1 tsp icing sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake. Grease a baking dish with butter.
- Cut the crusts off the bread, then slice each piece in half. Spread with softened butter and layer into the dish, slightly overlapping.
- Scatter sultanas between the bread layers.
- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla (if using).
- Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread. Gently press the slices down so they soak up the liquid.
- Leave to sit for 5 minutes before baking.
- Bake for 35 minutes until golden and just set in the centre.
- Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with ice cream or custard.
Notes
- Use brioche, croissants or fruit loaf instead of plain bread.
- Swap cream for extra milk or use a dairy-free alternative such as almond or oat milk.
- For a sweet twist, swap the sultanas for milk or dark chocolate chips.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 376Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 121mgSodium: 289mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 8g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya










Carolyn Aitken says
I love Band B pudding VJ and yours is a recipe I am keen to try so I'll be making this and I think I'll use up my fruit bread, eliminate the cream (can't eat cream) and use my box milk it seems to make a creamy dish. I also have some been in the freezer too long blueberries and raspberries so I'll us those up too.