Panettone French Toast Casserole

For dessert or an afternoon snack, try this fluffy cake with a delightful coffee flavor.

Ingredients

Place cream cheese and brown sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat at medium speed until smooth and creamy. Beat in vanilla and salt until well incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, beating until well blended. Gradually add milk and 1 cup cream, beating at low speed, until well incorporated.
Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Cut panettone loaf into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in 2 or 3 rows, overlapping slightly, starting from a short end of the baking dish.
Pour cream cheese-egg mixture evenly over the panettone slices, gently shaking the baking dish to evenly distribute the liquid. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Uncover the baking dish. Brush melted butter over the casserole; sprinkle with sugar.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Rotate the baking dish 180 degrees and continue baking until the custard is set in the center, about 30 minutes more. Cover with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning, if necessary.
Meanwhile, beat remaining heavy cream and powdered sugar in a medium bowl using a hand mixer on high speed until semi-firm peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve casserole warm with whipped cream, raspberries, and almonds.
You can purchase panettone seasonally in many stores. I purchased mine at World Market.