Baked Pumpkin French Toast

I have a plethora of pumpkin recipes flagged for baking this fall, and I finally got around to a few while at my parents' house for hunting season. This recipe from Two Peas & Their Pod was quite the hit when the hunters came in mid-morning. This falls in the category of one delicious breakfast that's easy to prepare that I'd make again ... wow, long category name.

Baked Pumpkin French Toast

1 loaf French Bread
6 large eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Streusel Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces

Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Tear French bread into chunks, or cut into cubes, and evenly place in the pan.

In a large bowl, mix together eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour evenly over bread. Cover pan with saran wrap, and store in the refrigerator for at least one hour or overnight.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add butter pieces and cut into the dry mixture using a fork or your hands. Combine until the mixture resembles sand with a few pea-sized chunks. Cover and store mixture in the refrigerator.

When you’re ready to bake the French toast, preheat oven to 350ºF. Remove French toast from refrigerator, and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the French toast is set and golden brown. Serve warm. Makes 10 servings.