Overnight Oven-Baked French Toast

This is a nice make ahead dish, with a few extra steps that make it taste closer to "real" French Toast. It's worth it for me. Source: Southern Living.

• Ready In: 8 hrs 10 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce)  French bread, loaf
• 1⁄4 cup butter, softened
• 4  large eggs
• 1  cup milk
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 2  tablespoons maple syrup
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Cut bread loaf into about 10 (3/4-inch-thick) slices.
2. Spread butter evenly over one cut side of each bread slice.
3. Arrange bread, butter side up, in an ungreased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
4. Whisk together eggs and next 5 ingredients; pour over bread, pressing slices down. Cover and chill 8 hours.
5. Remove bread slices from baking dish, and place on two lightly greased baking sheets.
6. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45 minutes or until golden.