Raspberry Almond French Toast Casserole

This post has been sponsored by KING'S HAWAIIAN®. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

This Raspberry Almond French Toast Casserole is an easy-to-make but sure-to-be-impressive breakfast. With subtle almond flavors combined with baked raspberries and sweet bread, your family will be asking for this french toast weekly! Pick up an extra couple loaves of KING'S HAWAIIAN Sweet Round Bread at Albertsons to make it this weekend! 

Growing up, KING'S HAWAIIAN Sweet Round Bread was always a treat. My grandfather would slice the large loaf into triangles, then fry them in a bit of butter. He would then top the slices with peanut butter and serve it to me as an after-school snack. It was my favorite! Now, I make it as an afternoon snack for my kids. They get so excited when they see the orange bag because they know what is coming! 

Besides being a nostalgic treat, I love the round loaf for so many reasons. Not only is it a staple in my home state of Hawaii, but the company has remained true to the original island recipe. The sweet bread has a soft and fluffy texture with just a touch of sweetness. It is the perfect ingredient to make breakfast irresistibly delicious. 

My kids were a bit disappointed when I told them that one of the loaves I purchased was for a recipe and not our favorite treat, however, I promised them that it would be just as delicious. And this Raspberry Almond French Toast Casserole was, in fact, that—and a new favorite in our home! 

HOW TO MAKE RASPBERRY ALMOND FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

I really wanted to get a light but prominent almond flavor throughout the French toast, so I opted to use almond paste. If you do not have almond paste on hand, you can easily make a homemade version or replace it with a ½ teaspoon of almond extract. 

• Break up the almond paste into little pieces. 
• Warm the half & half (or milk) in a small pot, then add it to the almond paste. Use a fork or whisk to break up the clumps. 

• Let the almond milk mixture cool to room temperature before adding the eggs. 

• Slice the sweet bread loaf into chunky slices. 

• Use a cast-iron pan for baking to create a crisp bottom. If you do not have one available, a standard pan will work too. 
• Dredge the slices into the egg, then layer into the pan. 

• Stuff raspberries and slivered or sliced almonds in between the slices. The raspberries will melt during baking and steep into the bread. It is glorious! 
• Serve the baked French toast warm with syrup or sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

CAN I MAKE FRENCH TOAST THE NIGHT BEFORE

Yes, this recipe can easily be prepared the night before and refrigerated until ready to bake the next morning! Simply prepare and dip the bread slices into the egg mixture, and place in the pan. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake the next morning. When ready, preheat your oven and stuff your French toast with the berries and almonds—then bake and serve! 

OTHER BAKED FRENCH TOAST VARIATIONS

I love the almond/sweet bread base of this recipe, but you can also try adding chocolate chips, blueberries, cinnamon, or even lemon to the egg mixture to change it up! 

For more brunch ideas, check out our Asparagus Ham Quiche, Chorizo Egg Muffins, or our Raspberry Lemon Pound Cake. 

This Raspberry Almond Baked French Toast Casserole is the perfect springtime (or anytime) brunch recipe. The next time you are at Albertsons, head to the bread aisle and pick up a few loaves. Make this French toast, but also make the fried bread with peanut butter! I assure you, they will become new favorites! 

Print

Raspberry Almond French Toast

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

 

An easy to make yet impressive breakfast that is full of flavor!

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baked french toast, sweet bread french toast

Author: Jackie

Ingredients

• 1 KING'S HAWAIIAN® Round Sweet Bread cut into slices
• 3 tablespoons almond paste or ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ¾ cup Half & Half or milk
• 5 large eggs
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• ¼ cup slivered or sliced almonds

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray an 8-inch cast-iron pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a small pan, heat milk on medium heat until simmering. Do not boil.
3. In a large bowl, break up almond paste into small clumps.
4. Add the hot milk and whisk until clumps have broken down. Let cool for about 15 minutes before adding eggs. See notes below if using extract in lieu of the paste.
5. Once cooled, whisk in eggs.
6. Dip each slice into the egg mixture and layer into prepared pan.
7. Stuff slices with raspberries and almonds.
8. Bake french toast for 40-45 minutes or until top is dark golden brown.
9. Serve with syrup or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Recipe Notes

If using extract in lieu of almond paste, there is no need to heat the milk. Simply whisk the extract, milk, and eggs together and proceed with the recipe.