The last couple of years, I hadn’t baked as much as I used to. But the baking club has really helped to re-ignite my love of baking.

March’s category was cupcakes. I earned, ahem, last place in the previous competition (s’mores bar cookies. Let’s not speak of it.) So I was determined – in a light-hearted way – to win this one. Or at least, not to lose!

So I narrowed in on these bad boys: Hummingbird Cupcakes.

Do you know about hummingbird cake? If not, you want to. I promise.

Hummingbird cake was first really popularized back in the 70’s, I believe, when it was published in an issue of Southern Living magazine. A moist, spiced cake with banana, crushed pineapple, and nuts, it’s reminiscent of carrot cake, except you’ve got bananas instead of carrots.

In this version, I added coconut too. Because life always needs more coconut.

Hummingbird cake is typically topped by a sweetness-cutting cream cheese frosting, and the combination is perfection. The icing on top of the icing?! A perfectly dried pineapple “flower” – the crowning glory of these hummingbird cupcakes.

For our baking challenge, I rolled the frosting in toasted coconut before topping with the flower, which was pretty (and tasty) but not necessary.

I can’t even count how many times I made this recipe in order to perfect it.

At the last minute, I made my baking challenge recipe with cake flour instead of all-purpose flour, and that was actually a mistake. Hummingbird cake made with all-purpose flour is already very moist and tender – and with cake flour, it was TOO tender! So the recipe I’m sharing with you returns to all-purpose flour, and I encourage you to learn from my mistakes. 🙂

So, did I win the baking challenge? NO! I didn’t! My friend Cristina brought the most perfect carrot cake cupcakes with an insanely delicious brown sugar buttercream frosting. They deserved to win. But my Hummingbird Cupcakes earned second place with extra points for presentation, so there’s that! Pineapple flowers for the win!

Anyway, if you’re a dairy-free type like me, the cake recipe is made with vegetable oil – so no dairy whatsoever. The frosting, on the other hand, well – it’s cream cheese. But you can make a dairy-free version with vegan cream cheese and vegan butter that’s not too shabby. See the notes section of the recipe for more info.

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The fact is, cranberry fluff salad is not health food, and I don’t think it could be farther from it if it tried. I mean, it’s got a ton of sugar (granulated sugar + marshmallows) and let’s not even get started on the amount of fat from the coconut cream.

Another fact? TOTALLY WORTH IT.

Cranberry fluff salad normally contains cranberries, sugar, whipped cream, crushed pineapple, marshmallows, and pecans. Unfortunately, the whipped cream makes it a no-go for vegans and non-dairy folks. And the marshmallows, with their gelatin, mean vegetarians can’t indulge either.

And I tell you, it’s just sad to look upon a bowl of the magenta magnificence of cranberry fluff salad on your holiday table and not be able to have a scoop.

But no more! Because I’ve created a vegan version. And it is equally magenta. And equally marshmallowy-good.

First, we finely chop fresh cranberries with granulated sugar, then let them macerate for several hours. The juicier the result, my dear!

Then, we stir in some crushed pineapple and pecans. THEN … we whip up some coconut whipped cream and fold that glorious stuff right in there along with an obscene amount of vegan mini marshmallows.

I like to sprinkle a few extra pecans on top for good measure.

Retro-licious vegan cranberry fluff salad right here baby. Because I’m dreaming of a pink – and a bit more plant-based – Christmas.

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Okay, well. Calling this Sweet Potato Pie Baked Oatmeal “pie” is admittedly a bit of a stretch. It’s more of a baked oatmeal with the flavors of sweet potato pie, topped with a deal-sealing streusel, cooked up in a pie dish.

I love this baked oatmeal during these cold and cozy months. The oatmeal itself is lightly sweetened and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. And then that streusel topping? Yesss. It adds just enough sweetness and crunch to elevate this oatmeal to something special.

We find this sweet potato baked oatmeal to be a super versatile recipe. It’s easy enough to cook up for any ol’ weekday breakfast, but special enough for the holidays (especially if you were to add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon to the situation).

Add a Crock Pot Vanilla Latte and your holiday morning’s complete! Or any morning, really.

More Oatmeal Recipes

• Strawberry & Toasted Almond Overnight Oats (Starbucks copycat!)
• Berry Baked Oatmeal
• Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal 
• Mango Oatmeal
• Apple Gingerbread Oatmeal
• Slow Cooker Pumpkin Oatmeal
• Carrot Cake Oatmeal
• PB&J Overnight Oats
• Blueberry Oatmeal

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Sweet Potato Pie Baked Oatmeal with Crunchy Pecan Streusel Topping

Holiday breakfast material, right here! Cinnamon, nutmeg, and sweet potato meet baked oatmeal in this easy breakfast recipe. The crunchy pecan streusel totally seals the deal.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato 1 medium sweet potato
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or other milk of your choice
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

Crunchy pecan streusel:

• 1/2 cup chopped raw pecans
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour or substitute your favorite gluten-free blend
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil Earth Balance butter, or butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a standard-sized pie pan or coat with non-stick spray.
• Add sweet potato to a large bowl. Mash until as smooth as possible. Add milk, egg, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir with a whisk until well-combined. Add the oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Pour into pie plate and smooth slightly with the spoon.
• Make the streusel topping. Add the pecans, brown sugar, and flour to a small bowl. Add the coconut oil or butter. Use your fingers to distribute the oil or butter throughout the mix until the butter pieces are approximately sunflower-seed-sized. Distribute topping over the top of the oatmeal mix.
• Bake until the nuts are toasted and the oatmeal is no longer jiggly, about 35 minutes.
• Serve with an extra drizzle of maple syrup if desired. You can also add a dollop of coconut whipping cream or whipping cream and/or a sprinkle of cinnamon if you wish.

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I know it’s a little early to start brainstorming ideas for how to make use of all those leftovers, so I’ll make this one easy for you: dig out that container of cranberry sauce and make these leftover cranberry sauce pancakes for your day-after breakfast.

Better yet, slip on some fuzzy socks, put up those barking dogs, get cozy with a cup of coffee, and watch your partner and kids whip them up for you. You deserve it, after all!

These pancakes make quick work of any leftover cranberry sauce from the big day. Cranberries, pecans, and whole-wheat flour make for a rib-sticking pile of pancakes just perfect for the day after – or any day.

After you’ve polished off your stack, get those shoes on. You’re all powered up for some Black Friday madness … now get out there!

(Ha. Ha.)

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As much as I am a total freak for pumpkin almost-everything, I was never much of a pumpkin pie fan. It just … almost always has seemed a little mushy and, honestly, unremarkable to me. And with so many other pie options out there, why bother?

But thanks to this pie, that statement is past-tense. Was never a fan. Totally am now. Of this pumpkin pie.

This vanilla praline pumpkin pie, with its little specks of vanilla beans everywhere. This pumpkin pie with its rich filling and its perfectly sweet, wonderfully crunchy pecan topping.

Two things in particular make this recipe stand out. First, it makes use of both canned pumpkin and fresh pureed pumpkin. By using both, you get all the best qualities of each. This isn’t a discovery I happened across in my own kitchen; it’s a bit of wisdom from Leslie Mackie, author of the Macrina Bakery & Cafe Cookbook.

I have, however, made the pie with only canned and only fresh, and while it was still good, there really is something extra special that happens when you combine the two.

The second thing – the clincher – in this recipe is without a doubt all that sweet, heady vanilla. I use vanilla bean paste (such an awesome product) but you could easily substitute seeds scraped from a vanilla bean and vanilla extract in lieu of the paste.

So, so good. Pumpkin pie perfection. Consider me a convert.

I’m joining TidyMom and Whirlpool for the 4th Annual Love the Pie Party and entered to win a new Whirlpool Gold® Induction Range. How cool is that prize?! I can’t wait to see all the amazing pie recipes the participants have come up with. Come join Love the Pie with TidyMom sponsored by Whirlpool and enter to win a new Whirlpool Range.

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Vanilla Praline Pumpkin Pie

Full of vanilla flavor and topped with a perfectly sweet, wonderfully crunchy pecan topping, this pumpkin pie is out-of-this-world. It even won over a pumpkin pie hater!

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 pre-baked pie crust cooled

Pie filling:

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie mix
• 1 cup fresh pumpkin puree note: you can also use 2 cups canned pumpkin or 2 cups fresh pumpkin puree instead of a combination of both.
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 5 tablespoons lightly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped plus 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Place pre-baked pie shell on a lined baking sheet to catch any spills.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purees and sour cream. Whisk in the brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves, and flour.
• Add the eggs and whisk until smooth, then whisk in the buttermilk, half and half, and vanilla bean paste.
• Pour filling into pie crust. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 50 - 60 minutes, or until the center of the pie is just set (no longer jiggly).
• Remove the pie from the oven, but leave the oven on.
• In a small bowl, combine all the topping ingredients. Very gently spoon the pecan praline topping over the top of the pie. Do not press.
• Return to the oven and bake for another 20-25 minutes until the top is set and golden.
• Let pie cool to room temperature. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream or ice cream.

3.1.09

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Best of all, it can be made the night before for an effortless breakfast come morning!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Overnight Caramel Baked French Toast
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Caramel French Toast
• Tips for Success
• More French Toast Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

This one is perfect for a holiday morning when time is tight and something special is in order. Put it together the night before, then just pull it out of the fridge and bake up a sinfully delicious breakfast while you’re off taking care of other things.

We’ve also plopped a bit of vanilla ice cream on the top of leftover slices for a quick, almost bread-pudding-like dessert.

I first published this recipe back in 2009, and it’s been a family favorite ever since! My nephew, when he was little, even used to called it “Aunt Karen’s famous French toast,” because it was on the internet and all. I thought that was pretty awesome!

Why You’ll Love Overnight Caramel Baked French Toast

This caramel French toast is super special-occasion worthy. I love that it can be assembled the day before, then the next morning, you can just pop it in the oven to bake. It’s especially great for holiday mornings when things are hectic yet you want something special.

Plus, it tastes amazing! Everyone loves this baked French toast recipe … the bread is lightly custardy and chewy, and the caramel is so rich and buttery. The crunch of pecans go perfectly and totally elevates it from plain old French toast.

Ingredients

• Brown sugar – You can use either light or dark brown sugar, your preference. The difference is in the amount of molasses, so if you want a richer, more deeply molasses flavored French toast, go for the dark brown sugar.
• Light corn syrup – A small amount of corn syrup helps create the caramel sauce and ensures success.
• Butter – If you use unsalted, be sure to add an extra pinch of salt to the batter.
• Heavy whipping cream – For the thick, rich caramel sauce.
• Vanilla extract – Use pure vanilla extract for a sweet touch of vanilla flavor.
• Pecans – Go for raw pecans and chop them finely.
• French bread – You’ll want to slice them thick, about 3/4-inches.
• Milk – For the French toast batter. I use 2% or whole milk.
• Eggs – You’ll need three of them.
• Salt – Just a pinch (or, again, two if you are using unsalted butter).
• Cinnamon – I love the added flavor that a bit of ground cinnamon brings.

Adaptations/Variations

• Go nut-free – This caramel French toast is excellent without the pecans, too.
• Caramel apple French toast – I haven’t tried this yet, but I think that diced apples in lieu or (or in addition to) the pecans would be glorious. Or, you could just serve it up with some easy sautéed apples on the side.

How to Make Caramel French Toast

Prepare a 9×13 pan and set it aside, then make your caramel sauce in your saucepan.

Pour the caramel sauce into your baking dish.

And then add the pecans, dunk the bread into the batter, and add the bread.

Cover it up and let it sit overnight. In the morning, bake it!

Tips for Success

• Don’t allow the caramel sauce to boil. That’ll result in hard caramel once the French toast is baked. Keep the heat on low and just stir until the butter is melted and the ingredients are smooth.
• Grease your pan first. With butter or non-stick spray – this will help make clean-up easy.

I really hope you love this overnight caramel baked French toast as much as we all do! If it ends up being a family fave, will you please do me a favor and come back and leave a review? Thank you! Happy breakfasting!

More French Toast Recipes

• How to Make the Best French Toast
• Coconut French Toast
• Overnight Blueberry French Toast Casserole
• Silver Dollar French Toast

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Overnight Caramel Pecan French Toast Recipe

Thick slices of bread are dredged into an egg batter and nestled into a thick, rich caramel sauce, then baked up to ooey, gooey perfection!

Keyword baked french toast, caramel french toast, caramel pecan french toast, overnight caramel french toast, overnight french toast, overnight french toast casserole

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 590kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup pecans chopped
• 6 – 7 slices French bread about 3/4 inches thick
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

• Grease a 9" x 13" pan with a light layer of butter or non-stick spray.
• Over low heat, combine the brown sugar, light corn syrup, butter, and whipping cream in a medium saucepan.
• Keeping the heat on low (letting it get too hot is bad – and don’t let it boil!), stir constantly until the butter is melted and the ingredients are smooth.
• Remove from heat and add 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla.
• Pour the warm caramel mixture into a 9″ x 13″ pan.
• Sprinkle the pecans over the top.
• In a large bowl, beat together the milk, eggs, salt, the other 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, and cinnamon.
• Dip the bread into the egg mixture, making sure each piece is well-coated. You want to soak up all of the mixture with your six or seven slices of bread.
• Lay the bread in the pan, over the caramel and pecan mixture.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• It’s morning! Ready for some breakfast? Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
• Remove the cover from the pan and bake for 20 minutes, until the bottom is bubbling and the toast is golden brown.
• Let stand for a couple of minutes, then invert onto a platter.
• Eat right away!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 590kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 1691mg | Potassium: 253mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 703IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 3mg

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