Breakfast Birthday Cake

I made this for Christmas breakfast and was it ever good! I'm sure it would be even better (not to mention prettier) with in season strawberries. I love this recipe because it isn't overly sweet, yet it has strawberries, cream cheese, and whipped cream- three indulgent breakfast staples. I think the recipe was intended for a birthday breakfast, but why wait until then?

1 round (I used square) 16 oz. sourdough or whole grain bread loaf
3 eggs
2/3 C. milk
1 Tbsp. sugar, 1 Tbsp. sugar divided
1 Tbsp. vanilla, 1/2 tsp. vanilla divided
2 Tbsp. butter
3 C. fresh sliced strawberries
1/2 C. strawberry preserves (I skipped this and just used thawed frozen sweetened strawberries since it's winter)
1 C. whipping cream
1/2 C. whipped cream cheese (from the tub)

1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Remove crust from bottom of one round 16-ounce sourdough or whole grain bread loaf. Slice bread horizontally in 3 equal round layers. Save top layer for another sue. Set aside remaining 2 bread portions. In a 2-quart square baking dish beat together 3 eggs, 2/3 C. milk, 1 Tbsp. sugar, and 1 Tbsp. vanilla; set aside. In a large nonstick skillet or on a griddle melt 1 Tbsp. butter over medium-high heat. Dip the bottom slice from the loaf into egg mixture; let bread soak about 1 minute on each side. Add soaked bread round to skillet. Decrease heat to medium. Cook about 5 minutes or until golden brown; carefully turn bread slice once. Place on a baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Repeat with 1 Tbsp. butter, second bread round, and egg mixture.
2) Meanwhile, slice 3 C. fresh strawberries and place in a large bowl. In a small saucepan melt 1/2 C. strawberry preserves; pour over berries and toss to coat. Set aside mixture, in a chilled mixing bowl combine 1 C. whipping cream, one-half an 8-ounce container whipped cream cheese (1/2 C.), 1 Tbsp. sugar, and 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Beat until soft peaks form. Place bottom of bread loaf on a serving platter. Top with 1 to 2 C. of the strawberry mixture. Top with the second bread round. Top with some of the whipped cream mixture and remaining strawberry mixture. Cut carefully into wedges. Serve immediately. Pass remaining whipped cream mixture. Makes 10 servings.