Easy French Toast Breakfast Cake

French toast cake with yogurt and berries on a white cake stand.

Easy French Toast Breakfast Cake

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 20

Total Time 45

Servings:8 servings

Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen

Layers of baked French toast, creamy non-dairy yogurt, and fresh berries come together in this gorgeous breakfast "cake." It looks like dessert, but it's secretly wholesome, easy to make, and perfect for special occasions!

Easily customize it with different size/shape pans, fruits, spices, and toppings.

Ingredients
US Customary | Metric

For the French toast cakes:

24 ounces sourdough or other sturdy bread (either whole loaf or pre-sliced sandwich bread is fine) - I used an entire loaf, about 20 slices.
3¼ cups unsweetened non-dairy milk
½ cup maple syrup - plus more for serving
3 tablespoons cornstarch - or arrowroot starch
3¼ teaspoons cinnamon, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Fillings and toppings:

1½ cups plain non-dairy yogurt - Stir in a little maple syrup if desired or sub sweetened vanilla yogurt.
16 ounces mixed fresh berries - blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and sliced strawberries
⅓ cup roughly chopped walnuts or pecans - raw or toasted
2 tablespoons dried coconut flakes, optional
1 cup whipped coconut cream - or vegan whipped topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment. Let the parchment come up the sides of the pan for easy removal and to prevent sticking.
If starting with a whole loaf of bread, cut it into slices about 2 inches thick. Trim off thick or tough crust.
In a large, shallow dish, whisk together the milk, maple syrup, cornstarch, 3 teaspoons cinnamon, and the vanilla. Working in batches, place 4 or 5 slices of bread in the batter, leaving them just long enough to saturate but not get soggy. Lay one piece of bread in the pan, then tear the other pieces as needed to fill in the gaps. This doesn't need to be perfect, but do make sure to fill the whole pan so the bread will hold together. *If using pre-sliced sandwich bread, versus thicker pieces, do two layers of bread in each pan.
Repeat this puzzle work for the other two cake pans. Lightly sprinkle the tops with cinnamon. Bake the French toast for 18 to 20 minutes or until hot in the center and slightly crisp at the edges.
Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
Place one layer of French toast on a serving plate or cake stand, and spread with ½ cup yogurt; don't go quite all the way to the edges (except in a few spots where you want drips). Arrange an even but somewhat sparse layer of berries on top of the yogurt (refer to photo in post). The berries serve as a pedestal to hold up the next layer of French toast, creating space between the layers for visual effect. Repeat for the 2nd layer.
Place the 3rd French toast layer on top. Spread with additional yogurt OR use whipped coconut cream or store-bought whipped topping for a more decadent option. Decorate with berries, nuts, and coconut. Slice with a serrated knife, and serve with maple syrup.

Notes

If serving a smaller crowd, reduce the amounts by ⅓ for a 2-layer "cake."

To scale for 9-inch pans: For a two-layer 9-inch cake, decrease the French toast ingredients by about 20%.

Storing: As with classic French toast, this is best served fresh. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a day or two, but will get a little soggy from the yogurt.

Nutrition