Don't Toss Your Stale Pound Cake, Make French Toast Instead

Next time you have a gathering, save your stale cake. You probably already know by now that bread that's gone hard can still be saved. Croutons, French onion soup, panzanella, and stuffing can all benefit from you forgetting about your freshly-purchased loaf for a few days. What you might not know, is that even stale pound cake that's lost some of its moisture can become (believe it or not) an even more delicious dessert.

While you might not need an excuse to eat cake for breakfast, pound cake French toast makes that mission extra easy. Typically, French toast is bread that is sliced, soaked in an egg mixture, and then pan-fried. Brioche, baguette, and challah all work well because they're heavy enough to withstand the coating and cooking process, while their center stays soft and fluffy, absorbing any syrup or topping added later. Many French toast recipes call for stale bread because it better absorbs the custard, while still maintaining its structure. A thick slice of day-old pound cake, with its hearty crust and tender center, makes for the perfect sweet subject to French toast.

For a twist on your usual French toast, make it with cake. Traditionally, pound cake is made with a pound of each of its ingredients. Pound cake is buttery and firm, which is why the dessert is a reliable base for remixing and incorporating into other recipes. Pound cake can be made into bread pudding, trifles, and cake pops. Because of its simplicity, it plays with other flavors well, and it isn't too overbearing to have at breakfast.

The pound cake used in this sweet French toast swap doesn't have to be homemade. If you do make it yourself though, be sure to seek out butter with a high butterfat content for rich flavor and airy texture. To transform the classic cake into French toast, follow your favorite recipe as usual, substituting your basic bread for thick slices of pound cake. Once it looks good and golden brown, it's ready to be removed from the skillet. Top with fresh fruit, syrup, whipped cream, or powdered sugar (or all three).