Overnight Gingerbread French Toast Breakfast Bake

long loaf French bread, sliced about 3/4-inch thick, about 24 slices (I used fresh, but 1 or 2-day old is fine)

unsalted butter, melted (half of 1 stick)

large eggs

milk (optionally use 3/4 cup if your bread is old or very crusty/hard)

maple syrup

light, medium, or dark molasses (not blackstrap, too bitter)

cinnamon

ground ginger

allspice

to 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, or to taste

to 1 teaspoon ground cloves, or to taste

salt, optional and to taste

confectioners’ sugar for dusting, optional

Ginger Molasses Maple Syrup or regular maple syrup , for serving