Strawberry Cheesecake Baked French Toast Casserole

• ⅛  - nonstick cooking spray
• 1 Pound - day-old challah bread
• 1 ½ Cup - strawberries
• 8  - eggs
• ½ cup - sugar
• 1 ¾ cup - whole milk
• 1 Teaspoon - vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon - salt
• 6 ounce - cream cheese
• ¼ cup - powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon - vanilla extract
• ⅛  - powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish liberally with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and roughly chop the strawberries. Set bread aside in a large mixing bowl, and strawberries in a separate bowl.
4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and combined. Add the bread cubes and strawberries, and fold with a rubber spatula to thoroughly coat the bread.
5. In a separate bowl, use a mixer to beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract for 1-2 minutes, or until smooth.
6. Add half of bread mixture to baking dish. Spoon half of the cream cheese mixture over the bread cubes. Repeat with remaining halves of the bread and cream cheese mixtures.
7. Bake French toast on the middle rack of oven until it is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of a piece comes out clean, 45-50 minutes.
8. Check to see that French toast is done. Remove from oven or add time as needed.
9. Allow French toast to cool in dish for at least 10 minutes. Prior to serving, plate toast (cut as desired), then sift powdered sugar over the top. Refrigerate leftovers for 2-3 days.