“The ultimate summer breakfast when you have a full house! Will be making this again for 4th of July at our lake house.”

This decadent French toast bake combines the creamy richness of cheesecake with the sweet-tartness of raspberries, all soaked into cubed bread and baked to golden perfection. It’s designed to be prepared the night before for a delightful morning treat.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Prepare Ahead (Soak Overnight):

1. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish generously with butter or cooking spray.
2. Add about half of the cubed white bread to the prepared baking dish and spread it out into an even layer.
3. In a small bowl, combine the room temperature cream cheese, ½ cup of sugar, the zest of 1 lemon, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Whisk these ingredients together until they are fully combined and smooth.
4. Using a large spoon, scoop portions of the cream cheese mixture and dollop them randomly over the layer of bread cubes in the baking dish. You do not need to spread the cream cheese mixture evenly.
5. Sprinkle the fresh raspberries evenly over the top of the bread cubes and cream cheese dollops.
6. Layer the remaining cubed white bread evenly over the raspberries.
7. In a large bowl (a bowl with a pour spout is helpful), whisk together the 9 eggs, 2 cups of milk, ⅓ cup of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
8. Drizzle the egg mixture evenly over the bread in the baking dish. Use a spatula to gently press the bread down into the liquid, ensuring that most of the bread is submerged.
9. Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight or for a minimum of 6 hours to allow the bread to soak up the egg mixture.

When Ready to Bake:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and uncover it.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the French toast bake is golden brown on top and the egg mixture is set.
4. Remove the baked Raspberry Cheesecake French Toast Bake from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.
5. Serve warm with fresh berries, maple syrup, and a dusting of powdered sugar, if desired. Enjoy!