Treat yourself this morning and enjoy a wonderful breakfast that you are sure to fall in love with. Carrot Cake Breakfast Bake is a lovely casserole that will have you cuddling up to its cozy flavors. Thick, fresh brioche bread is covered with a creamy, delicious, carrot-blended sauce, sweet pineapples, warm cinnamon, and earthly maple syrup. Add a cream cheese glaze, some more tender pineapple, creamy whipped cream, and fresh shredded carrots to top off a rendition of carrot cake that will surely make you come to life. Carrot Cake Breakfast Bake is a surprisingly delicious way to incorporate some new joy into your breakfast menu. Everyone will be “ooing” and “ahhing” over this rebirth of an old dessert staple, which is now ready and waiting for you at breakfast.
Ingredients
For the bake:
- 1 large loaf brioche or Texas toast, sliced thick
- 8 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
- 2 (4-ounce) jars carrot baby food
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 (13-ounce) can crushed pineapple, juices drained and pineapple pieces squeezed and dried
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
For the cream cheese glaze:
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the garnishes:
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 (13-ounce) can pineapple rings, juices drained and rings dried
- whipped cream, to taste, store-bought or homemade
- carrots, to taste, shredded into matchsticks
Directions
Step 1 –Generously coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2 –In the bottom of the prepared baking dish, place 1/2 of the bread slices in 2 rows, overlapping as needed.
Step 3 –In a large bowl, add the eggs, the half-and-half, the carrot baby food, the brown sugar, the granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons of the vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, 1 can of the crushed pineapple, and the maple syrup and whisk until it is well-combined.
Step 4 –Evenly pour 1/2 of the carrot mixture over the bread slices, ensuring that they are completely covered.
Step 5 –Place the remaining bread slices on top of the carrot mixture.
Step 6 –Pour the remaining carrot mixture over the bread slices, ensuring that they are completely covered.
Step 7 –Sprinkle the walnuts over the carrot mixture.
Step 8 –Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and transfer it to the refrigerator, for at least about 8 hours and up to overnight.
Step 9 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 10 –Place the carrot cake bake in the oven, covered, and bake, about 40 minutes.
Step 11 –Remove and discard the aluminum foil and bake the carrot cake bake again, about 15 minutes.
Step 12 –While the carrot cake bake is baking, in a large bowl, add the cream cheese and use an electric hand mixer to beat until it is smooth.
Step 13 –Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar to the cream cheese and beat until it is well-combined.
Step 14 –Add the milk and the remaining vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture and beat until it is well-combined.
Step 15 –Use a spatula to spread the cream cheese mixture over the top of the warm carrot cake bake.
Step 16 –Sprinkle the carrot cake bake with the remaining cinnamon and top with the remaining can of pineapple rings, placing them in rows.
Step 17 –Evenly dot the insides of the pineapple rings with the whipped cream.
Step 18 –Place 2 of the carrot matchsticks on top of each of the whipped cream dots, forming an “x” shape.
Step 19 –Slice and serve.
