Kat's Kitchen

This Carrot Cake French Toast Bake is like if carrot cake, french toast, and a warm cinnamon roll had a baby! The warm spices, sweet grated carrots, perfectly gooey pockets of melty cream cheese, and buttery brown sugar crumble topping, make this the coziest breakfast bake that will impress the socks off your friends and family.

And the best part?
You can prep it the night before and bake it fresh in the morning, making it perfect for holidays, brunch, or slow weekends at home.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Tastes like carrot cake for breakfast
• Perfectly balanced (not too sweet, super flavorful)
• Make-ahead friendly
• Soft + custardy center with a crunchy topping
• Made with simple grocery store ingredients

Ingredients

French Toast Layer

• Baking spray or butter, to grease the dish
• 1 loaf brioche or French bread, cut into cubes
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup finely grated carrots (about 2 large carrots), excess moisture squeezed out
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• Optional: ¼ cup raisins (soaked and softened)

Cream Cheese Filling

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla

Crumb Topping

• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts

Optional Cream Cheese Drizzle (Highly Recommend 👀)

• 2 ounces cream cheese
• 2–3 tablespoons milk
• 2–3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• Splash of vanilla

Optional for Serving

• Maple syrup
• Powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Prep the Bread

Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Add the cubed bread to the dish.

2. Make the Cream Cheese Layer

In a bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until creamy, then drop spoonfuls evenly over the bread layer.

3. Add Carrot Cake Mix-Ins

Sprinkle the grated carrots, walnuts, and raisins (if using) evenly over the bread.

4. Make the Custard

In a large bowl, whisk together the:

• eggs
• milk
• maple syrup
• brown sugar
• vanilla
• cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg
• pinch of salt

Pour evenly over the bread mixture.

5. Chill

Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 3–4 hours, or overnight for best results. This is optional, but will give you the best texture.

6. Make the Crumb Topping

In a bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Mix in the cold butter until crumbly. Stir in the chopped walnuts.

7. Bake

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Remove the french toast dish from the fridge and sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the top.

Bake uncovered for 45–55 minutes, until golden brown on top.

8. Optional Cream Cheese Drizzle

Whisk together cream cheese, milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the warm french toast bake.

9. Serve

Serve warm with optional maple syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Drink Pairings

If you’re serving this for Easter brunch, pairing it with a fun, at-home coffee drink makes it even more special.

Here are a few of my favorite options to serve alongside this carrot cake bake:

• Homemade Carrot Cake Creamer – If you really want to lean into the carrot cake moment, this is the perfect match. It ties everything together and adds a creamy, spiced sweetness to your iced or hot coffee.
• Homemade Lavender Oatmilk Creamer – A light, floral option that pairs beautifully with the warm spices in this bake and gives your coffee a fresh spring feel.
• Carrot Cake Cold Brew (with Cream Cheese Cold Foam) – This one is for the full coffee shop at home experience. It’s rich, slightly tangy from the cream cheese foam, and complements the flavors in this dish so well.
• Homemade Marshmallow Peeps Creamer – For a fun and festive Easter touch, this adds a sweet, nostalgic marshmallow flavor to your coffee and is perfect for a colorful brunch setup.

No matter which you choose, these pairings make your brunch feel a little more elevated while still keeping everything simple and doable at home.

Tips for Success

• Finely grate carrots so they soften perfectly
• Use slightly stale bread for best texture
• Bake shorter for softer texture, longer for a firmer texture

Variations

• Make it dairy-free with plant-based milk and cream cheese
• Skip raisins if you prefer
• Add shredded coconut for a tropical twist
• Swap walnuts for pecans

More Carrot Cake Recipes to Love

• Homemade Carrot Cake Creamer
• Carrot Cake Candied Pecans with Cream Cheese Frosting Dip
• Carrot Cake Chia Pudding
• Carrot Cake Baked Oats (Healthy, Meal Prep Breakfast)
• Carrot Cake Cold Brew (with Cream Cheese Cold Foam)
• Homemade Carrot Cake Syrup

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re gathered around the table with family, hosting Easter brunch, or just enjoying a slow spring morning at home with a really good cup of coffee, this Carrot Cake French Toast Bake is perfect for spring morning! I hope you and your family love it.

Have a very Happy Easter!