Upside-Down Orange Caramel Pecan French Toast Bake

A lightened up overnight french toast bake that tastes just like a sticky caramel roll. Slight orange flavor pairs perfectly with gooey caramel and pecans add a lovely crunch. A delicious morning brunch treat!

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine American

Keyword french toast bake, french toast casserole, overnight french toast, overnight french toast bake, overnight french toast casserole

Prep Time 4

Cook Time 45

Total Time 4 45

Servings servings

Calories 348cal

Author Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Ingredients

For the caramel:
2/3 cup packed brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped pecans
For the french toast:
1 1/4 cup orange juice (fresh is great!)
1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (any milk will work)
2 tablespoons brown sugar (coconut sugar or pure maple syrup also works)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 pound/loaf day old french bread/baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes
For the topping
1/4 cup packed brown sugar or coconut sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish or 2 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine melted butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl, pour the mixture into prepared baking dish, be sure to spread out evenly towards the sides. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Place cubed bread evenly over the pecan mixture.
In a large bowl, whisk together orange juice, almond milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, eggs and orange zest. Pour egg mixture over the bread, making sure to soak each cube. If there are some dry pieces, simply push them down a bit to soak up some of the egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
Once ready to bake: preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle 1/4 cup brown sugar on top of the bread. Bake for 45 minutes-1 hour or until the top of the french toast bake is golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes then cut into 8 servings.
When you plate, flip each piece upside-down so the caramel and pecans are on top. Serve with fresh berries, yogurt, powdered sugar, or maple syrup. Enjoy!

Notes

To store: store this overnight french toast bake covered in the refrigerator for up top 3-4 days. Simply reheat slices in the microwave at 30-second intervals.

To freeze: first, wrap individual slices (or the whole thing) in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and then place the french toast bake in a zip-top freezer bag. When you’re ready to serve it, simply thaw the slices or full bake in the refrigerator overnight and then heat in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until heated through.

Nutrition

Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com