French Toast Casserole

Ingredients
French Toast:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 (8 ounce) loaf crusty French bread, cut into bite-sized pieces, or more as needed
- 2 cups milk
- 6 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Topping:
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste
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Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
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Make the French toast: Stir brown sugar and butter together in a saucepan over medium-low heat until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved, 2 to 4 minutes.
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Pour butter-brown sugar mixture into the prepared baking dish. Scatter French bread pieces over top in a 1 1/2- to 2-inch layer.
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Whisk milk, eggs, and vanilla together in a bowl until well combined. Pour over bread pieces, then press bread down with a spatula so the bread absorbs the liquid. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
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When ready to bake, remove French toast from the refrigerator and discard plastic wrap. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
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Make topping: Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the French toast.
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Bake in the preheated oven until casserole is browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes, covering with aluminum foil at any point if the top is browning too much.
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To serve, cut into squares and invert onto plate