Bead-Worthy King Cake French Toast Bake

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-27 · Updated 2026-04-27

A festive French toast casserole inspired by the classic Mardi Gras king cake, infused with cinnamon, cream cheese, and topped with colorful sugar glaze. This American-inspired Mardi Gras recipe, ready in about 65 minutes, layers French bread loaf, cream cheese, large eggs into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 370 calories and feeds 8, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 (about 12 oz), cut into 1-inch cubes French bread loaf
• 8 oz, softened and cubed cream cheese
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup, packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups (for glaze) powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp milk (for glaze)
• as needed for decorating food coloring (purple, green, gold)
• 2 tbsp, melted butter

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with 2 tbsp melted butter.
2. Step 2: Toss 12 oz French bread cubes with 8 oz cubed softened cream cheese in a large bowl, distributing cream cheese evenly among bread pieces.
3. Step 3: In another large bowl, whisk together 8 large eggs, 2 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon until fully combined and smooth.
4. Step 4: Pour the egg mixture over the bread and cream cheese, gently pressing to submerge bread cubes. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to soak.
5. Step 5: Remove from fridge and bake covered for 35 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes until top is golden and custard is set.
6. Step 6: While the bake cools slightly, prepare glaze by whisking 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar with 3 tbsp milk until smooth and drizzleable. Divide glaze into 3 small bowls and tint each with purple, green, and gold food coloring.
7. Step 7: Drizzle glaze in stripes over the warm French toast bake, alternating colors to mimic Mardi Gras beads.