Easy Croissant Cake

I’ve always believed that good croissants are too precious to waste. You know those leftover croissants sitting on your counter, starting to lose their flakiness? They’re not quite fresh enough to enjoy on their own, but throwing them away feels wrong. That’s when I turn them into something even better than they were on day one.

This croissant cake is what happens when French pastry meets bread pudding. It’s fancy enough for a weekend brunch with friends but easy enough to throw together on a regular morning. The berries add a little tartness, the almonds give you that satisfying crunch, and the custard pulls everything together into something your family will ask you to make again.

Want something sweet for breakfast? This is it. Need an impressive dessert that doesn’t require you to be a pastry chef? Also this. I make it both ways depending on my mood and what’s happening that day.

What Kind of Croissants Should I Use?

For this recipe, day-old croissants actually work better than fresh ones since they’re a bit drier and will soak up the custard mixture more effectively. You can use plain butter croissants from your local bakery or even the ones from the grocery store bakery section – both will give you great results. If you only have fresh croissants on hand, you can leave them out on the counter for a few hours or pop them in a low oven for about 10 minutes to dry them out slightly. Avoid using chocolate or filled croissants for this recipe, as you want the plain, buttery flavor to shine through with the berries and almond.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving, so here are some swaps you can make if needed:

• Croissants: Croissants are really the star here, so I wouldn’t substitute them. Day-old croissants actually work better than fresh ones since they soak up the custard mixture nicely without getting too soggy.
• Blackberries and raspberries: Feel free to mix up the berries based on what you have. Blueberries, strawberries (sliced), or even a combination of all four work great. Frozen berries are fine too – just thaw and drain them first.
• Almond essence: If you don’t have almond extract, vanilla extract works perfectly. You could also use a combination of both, using about half of each.
• Cream: Heavy cream gives the best texture, but you can use half-and-half if that’s what you have. The custard will be slightly less rich but still tasty.
• Almonds: Not a fan of almonds? Try pecans or walnuts instead. You can also leave out the nuts entirely if you have allergies, though they do add a nice crunch.
• Milk: Whole milk is best, but 2% will work in a pinch. I’d avoid skim milk as it might make the custard too thin.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake you can make with croissant cake is skipping the one-hour resting time, which is essential for the croissants to properly absorb the custard mixture – rushing this step will leave you with dry spots and an uneven texture.

Another common error is baking at too high a temperature, so stick to 325°F and cover the top with foil if the almonds start browning too quickly, ensuring the center cooks through without burning the edges.

Don’t press down on the croissants when layering them, as this compresses the flaky layers and prevents the custard from soaking in evenly, and make sure to use day-old croissants if possible since fresh ones can become too mushy.

Finally, resist the urge to cut into the cake right away – letting it cool for the full 30 minutes allows it to set properly and makes slicing much cleaner.

What to Serve With Croissant Cake?

This croissant cake is pretty rich and sweet on its own, so I like to keep the sides simple and let it be the star of the show. A hot cup of coffee or tea is really all you need to balance out the buttery croissants and sweet berries. If you’re serving it for brunch, some fresh fruit salad on the side adds a nice refreshing contrast without competing with all those flavors. You could also add a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if you want to go full dessert mode, especially if you’re serving it warm.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your croissant cake covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. It actually tastes even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to meld together. Just cover it tightly with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container to keep it from drying out.

Serve: This cake is delicious served cold straight from the fridge, or you can warm individual slices in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds. Some people even like it at room temperature, so let it sit out for 15 minutes before serving if you prefer.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3100-3300
• Protein: 55-65 g
• Fat: 170-185 g
• Carbohydrates: 350-375 g

Ingredients

For the cake base:

• 6 croissants (torn into 2-inch pieces to absorb the custard better)
• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 cup raspberries
• 0.75 cup almonds (slivered or roughly chopped for texture)
• 1 tsp cinnamon

For the custard:

• 4 eggs
• 2 egg yolks (adds a richer, more velvety mouthfeel)
• 1 cup sugar
• 0.75 cup milk (I use Borden Whole Milk)
• 1.25 cups cream (I prefer Horizon Organic heavy cream)
• 0.5 tsp almond essence
• 0.25 tsp vanilla extract

For the garnish:

• 0.33 cup almonds
• powdered sugar (sifted over the top for a professional finish)

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place and Custard Base

• 6 croissants
• 4 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 0.75 cup milk
• 1.25 cups cream
• 0.5 tsp almond essence
• 0.25 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.75 cup ground almonds
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Tear the 6 croissants into 2-inch pieces and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 4 eggs, 2 egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, 0.75 cup milk, 1.25 cups cream, 0.5 tsp almond essence, and 0.25 tsp vanilla extract until well combined and the sugar is fully dissolved.

The egg yolks add richness and create a more velvety custard, so don’t skip them.

In a separate small bowl, combine 0.75 cup ground almonds and 1 tsp cinnamon, then set aside.

Step 2: Assemble the Cake Layers

• torn croissants from Step 1
• almond-cinnamon mixture from Step 1
• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 cup raspberries

Grease a 9-inch round baking dish or similar size with butter or cooking spray.

Layer half of the torn croissant pieces on the bottom of the pan, creating an even base.

Sprinkle half of the almond-cinnamon mixture from Step 1 over the croissants, then scatter 1 cup of blackberries evenly across.

Add the remaining croissant pieces as the second layer, then top with the rest of the almond-cinnamon mixture and the 1 cup of raspberries.

I like to distribute the berries evenly so each slice gets plenty of fruit.

Step 3: Soak and Infuse the Cake

• custard mixture from Step 1
• assembled cake from Step 2

Pour the custard mixture from Step 1 slowly and evenly over the layered croissants and berries, ensuring it distributes throughout all the layers.

Let the assembled cake sit at room temperature for 1 hour, allowing the croissant pieces to absorb the custard and soften slightly.

This resting period is crucial—it transforms the bread into a tender, custard-soaked cake rather than a dry pastry.

Step 4: Top and Bake

• 0.33 cup almonds
• prepared cake from Step 3

Preheat your oven to 325°F.

Top the soaked cake with 0.33 cup of slivered or sliced almonds, distributing them evenly across the surface for texture and visual appeal.

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45–60 minutes, until the custard is set but still has a slight jiggle in the center and the almonds are golden brown.

The baking time depends on your oven, so start checking around 45 minutes.

Step 5: Cool and Finish

• powdered sugar

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 30 minutes—this allows the custard to set further and makes serving easier.

Once cooled, dust the top generously with sifted powdered sugar for a professional, elegant finish.

Serve warm or at room temperature, and know that this cake is even better the next day as the flavors meld together.

Easy Croissant Cake

Delicious Easy Croissant Cake recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 50 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 32 minutes mins

Servings 8 slices

Calories 3200 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the cake base::

• 6 croissants (torn into 2-inch pieces to absorb the custard better)
• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 cup raspberries
• 0.75 cup almonds (slivered or roughly chopped for texture)
• 1 tsp cinnamon

For the custard::

• 4 eggs
• 2 egg yolks (adds a richer, more velvety mouthfeel)
• 1 cup sugar
• 0.75 cup milk (I use Borden Whole Milk)
• 1.25 cups cream (I prefer Horizon Organic heavy cream)
• 0.5 tsp almond essence
• 0.25 tsp vanilla extract

For the garnish::

• 0.33 cup almonds
• powdered sugar (sifted over the top for a professional finish)

Instructions

 

• Tear the 6 croissants into 2-inch pieces and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the 4 eggs, 2 egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, 0.75 cup milk, 1.25 cups cream, 0.5 tsp almond essence, and 0.25 tsp vanilla extract until well combined and the sugar is fully dissolved. The egg yolks add richness and create a more velvety custard, so don't skip them. In a separate small bowl, combine 0.75 cup ground almonds and 1 tsp cinnamon, then set aside.
• Grease a 9-inch round baking dish or similar size with butter or cooking spray. Layer half of the torn croissant pieces on the bottom of the pan, creating an even base. Sprinkle half of the almond-cinnamon mixture from Step 1 over the croissants, then scatter 1 cup of blackberries evenly across. Add the remaining croissant pieces as the second layer, then top with the rest of the almond-cinnamon mixture and the 1 cup of raspberries. I like to distribute the berries evenly so each slice gets plenty of fruit.
• Pour the custard mixture from Step 1 slowly and evenly over the layered croissants and berries, ensuring it distributes throughout all the layers. Let the assembled cake sit at room temperature for 1 hour, allowing the croissant pieces to absorb the custard and soften slightly. This resting period is crucial—it transforms the bread into a tender, custard-soaked cake rather than a dry pastry.
• Preheat your oven to 325°F. Top the soaked cake with 0.33 cup of slivered or sliced almonds, distributing them evenly across the surface for texture and visual appeal. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45–60 minutes, until the custard is set but still has a slight jiggle in the center and the almonds are golden brown. The baking time depends on your oven, so start checking around 45 minutes.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 30 minutes—this allows the custard to set further and makes serving easier. Once cooled, dust the top generously with sifted powdered sugar for a professional, elegant finish. Serve warm or at room temperature, and know that this cake is even better the next day as the flavors meld together.