1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish or spray it with nonstick spray.
2. Place the cubed bread in the baking dish, spreading it out evenly. If your bread is very fresh, toast the cubes lightly in the oven for 10 minutes beforehand to help them absorb the custard better.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, milk, heavy cream, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until smooth and well combined.
4. Pour the pumpkin custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes, pressing down lightly with a spatula to help the bread soak up the liquid. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes so the bread absorbs the custard fully.
5. Sprinkle the toasted pecans (and dried fruit, if using) evenly over the top.
6. Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden and the custard is set but still slightly jiggly in the center. A knife inserted should come out mostly clean.
7. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving. Drizzle with extra maple syrup for that perfect finishing touch.

A little tip from my own kitchen: I often make this the night before and pop it into the fridge overnight. The flavors deepen, and it’s even better the next day. Plus, baking it in the morning means the whole house smells like fall before anyone’s even had their coffee.