Ube French toast bake is an easy showstopper for brunch. It starts with a 12-pack of King’s Hawaiian Ube Coconut rolls, soaks in a creamy coconut-milk custard with a touch of ube extract for that vivid purple hue, and finishes with a buttery, toasted almond topping that crisps up in the oven.
Prep takes about 10–15 minutes, then refrigerate to soak—overnight gives the best custardy texture—and bake the next morning. It’s perfect for Easter or Mother’s Day, or any weekend when you want something special without standing at the stove flipping individual slices.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One-pan, mostly hands-off brunch. Assemble the night before and bake in the morning.
- Ube and coconut are a perfect pairing. Sweet, slightly nutty and tropical, with a naturally eye-catching purple color.
- The rolls do most of the work. King’s Hawaiian Ube Coconut rolls are already enriched and slightly sweet, so they absorb the custard beautifully.
- Crunchy almond topping. Adds a toasty contrast to the soft, custardy interior.
Let’s Chit Chat
I picked up a pack of King’s Hawaiian Ube Coconut rolls and wanted to turn them into something baked. Rather than flipping many small rolls in a pan, I cubed them and soaked them in a coconut milk custard with a small amount of ube extract. The result was almost perfect on the first try: tender, sweet rolls that absorbed the custard and baked up with a texture similar to a baked tres leches. A thin glaze after baking ties everything together—if you have ube extract, this is a great use for it.
Ingredient Notes
- King’s Hawaiian Ube Coconut rolls. One 12-pack fits an 8×8 pan. If unavailable, use regular Hawaiian sweet rolls and add extra ube extract to the custard.
- Full-fat coconut milk. Use canned for richness—shake the can before opening so the cream and liquid recombine.
- Whole milk. Lightens the custard so it won’t be too heavy; half-and-half works if you want it richer.
- Ube extract. A little goes a long way for color and subtle flavor—start small and increase if needed.
- Eggs and brown sugar. Eggs set the custard; brown sugar adds a caramel note that complements coconut.
- Sliced almonds. Tossed with melted butter and sugar to toast and candy slightly while baking.
- Optional glaze. Powdered sugar plus a splash of coconut milk and a tiny bit of ube extract for a drizzle after baking.
How to Make Ube French Toast Bake
- Cube the rolls. Slice each roll into roughly 6 pieces to yield about 6 cups of cubed bread. Spread the cubes in a buttered 8×8 baking dish.
- Make the custard. Whisk canned coconut milk, whole milk, eggs, brown sugar, ube extract, vanilla, and salt until smooth and an even purple color.
- Soak. Pour the custard evenly over the cubed bread, pressing down gently so every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, overnight for best results.
- Prepare the almond topping. Toss sliced almonds with melted butter and granulated sugar, then sprinkle them over the soaked bread just before baking.
- Bake. Bake at 350°F for 40–45 minutes, until the top is golden and the custard is set in the center. If the almonds brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Rest and finish. Let rest about 10 minutes, then dust with powdered sugar or whisk a quick ube glaze (powdered sugar, a splash of coconut milk, and a tiny bit of ube extract) and drizzle before serving. Serve warm.
Tips for the Best Ube French Toast Bake
- Soak overnight. The rolls benefit from a long soak to produce a custardy interior.
- Start with less ube extract. Extract is potent and color deepens in the oven—adjust to taste.
- Use a pinch of salt. It brightens the coconut and brown sugar flavors.
- Watch the almonds. They can go from golden to too dark quickly; tent with foil if needed.
- Check the center. The custard should be just set. A knife inserted in the center should come out mostly clean.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat single portions in the microwave for about 45 seconds, or warm the entire pan, covered with foil, in a 325°F oven for 15 minutes. The almond topping stays surprisingly crisp.
FAQs
Yes. Without extract the bake won’t be as purple and will have less of the concentrated ube flavor, but the ube coconut rolls still contribute a mild ube taste.
Yes. Use original sweet rolls and add an extra half teaspoon of ube extract to the custard to boost the ube flavor.
Double the recipe for a 9×13: two packages of rolls and roughly twice the custard. Baking time will be similar—around 45 minutes—if the depth remains comparable.
Serve with maple syrup, additional coconut glaze, fresh berries, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert-style servings. Savory sides like bacon or sausage balance the sweetness for brunch.
Yes. Cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a 325°F oven until warmed through.
Ube French Toast Bake
Print Recipe
Ingredients
For the bake
- 1 12-count package King’s Hawaiian Ube Coconut rolls (about 12 oz) cubed
- 13.5 oz can full-fat coconut milk
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 4 large eggs
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoons ube extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Butter for greasing the pan
For the almond topping:
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
For the optional ube glaze:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut milk
- ⅛ teaspoon ube extract
Instructions
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Butter an 8×8 baking dish. Slice each ube coconut roll into about 6 cubes and spread them evenly in the pan.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, whole milk, eggs, brown sugar, ube extract, vanilla, and salt until smooth and an even purple color.
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Pour the custard evenly over the cubed bread. Press the cubes down gently with a spatula so every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for the best texture.
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When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Toss the sliced almonds with the melted butter and granulated sugar, then sprinkle evenly over the top of the soaked bread.
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Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden and the custard is set in the center. If the almonds start to brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
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Let the bake rest for about 10 minutes. Optional– Whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth, adjusting the coconut milk for a drizzle-able consistency, then drizzle over the top. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.