Vegan Strawberry Shortcake French Toast Casserole

I always loved french toast as a kid.  It was sweet and delicious and it always seemed like a treat!  Sweet breakfast to me has always seemed like dessert, even if it is what a lot of people typically eat.  And I still feel that way!  So often times when I make breakfast items that are sweet like french toast I still treat it like dessert.  I still love making french toast, but now when I make it I usually make french toast casserole because it is so quick and easy and just as delicious!  Plus I love the texture it has even more than regular french toast.  Last weekend I decided to make some and this time I thought it would be wonderful to use strawberries and make a Vegan Strawberry Shortcake French Toast Casserole!

I have always loved strawberry shortcake, and I thought it would make an awesome french toast flavor!  I made the french toast casserole with some really good sourdough bread that I had on hand.  This has become my favorite bread for french toast!  Plus if I buy some, I usually eat about half and have some leftover so it is perfect! Instead of the usual milk and egg mixture in french toast, I used flax eggs and oat milk in mine and it was perfect! I added in a touch of vanilla because it belongs in pretty much everything sweet and it was just right.

I added in strawberries both in fresh and jam form.  This was strawberry shortcake after all!  I am so excited for strawberry season by the way, which is right around the corner here in Minnesota!  The combination of strawberries as well as strawberry jam in this was just what it needed in order to be packed with flavor! I sprinkled it with some maple sugar and it baked up beautifully!

I could not wait to try it!  But it needed some whipped cream on top in order to be truly strawberry shortcake flavor!  This was so heavenly!  The bottom part was tender and light and soft, packed with jammy berries and gooey sweet jam, scented with vanilla and with a nice crunchy sugar top.  It was even better with the whipped cream!  If you are a strawberry shortcake fan and are in the mood for brunch, and something sweet but not overly sweet, definitely give this Vegan Strawberry Shortcake French Toast Casserole a try!

Vegan Strawberry Shortcake French Toast Casserole

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Bread Pudding:

• 2 Tbsp ground flax seed, mixed with 6 Tbsp filtered water
• 1 3/4 cups oat milk (or your favorite plant based milk, you can use full fat coconut for more richness)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 6 cups lightly packed cubed sourdough bread
• 1/2 cup quartered strawberries
• 1 cup strawberry jam
• 2 Tbsp maple sugar (or coconut sugar)

For serving:

• coconut whipped cream

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and oil a two quart baking dish or 8x8 inch square pan.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flax seeds and water mixture, oat milk, maple syrup, sea salt, and vanilla until well combined, then add the bread crumbs and berries toss to coat in the mixture.
3. Transfer half the mixture to the prepared baking dish, then spoon half the strawberry jam over it by the teaspoon.  Pour the remaining mixture over that (including the liquid, pour it over them), then drop the rest of the jam over it as you did the first time. Sprinkle with the maple sugar.
4. Place in the oven on a tray, and bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is starting to brown and the liquid has absorbed at the bottom.
5. Remove from oven.
6. Serve with coconut whipped cream on top!