Creating Easy Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce is straightforward if you follow these simple steps:

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Prepare Bread: Place the cubed bread in a large mixing bowl. If using, add raisins and nuts.
3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth.
4. Combine Mixtures: Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes. Stir gently to ensure all the bread is soaked. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.
5. Transfer to Baking Dish: Pour the soaked bread mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly.
6. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes while you prepare the rum sauce.

For the Rum Sauce:

8. Melt Butter: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
9. Add Sugar and Cream: Stir in the brown sugar and heavy cream, mixing until the sugar is dissolved.
10. Add Rum and Vanilla: Remove from heat and stir in the dark rum and vanilla extract. Mix well to combine.
11. Serve Warm: Drizzle the warm rum sauce over the bread pudding just before serving.