Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the half and half and vanilla and let it come to a boil. Once boiling, take the mixture off of the heat and set aside to cool.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, and brown sugar. Set aside until you have finished prepping the bread (this will allow the half and half mixture to cool a little longer).

Take bread, cut off crusts (optional), and cut into 1 inch cubes. Scatter bread pieces into an 8×8 pan. Add in raspberries and cream cheese, being careful to evenly distribute ingredients and fill in any gaps.

Take the cooled half and half mixture and add it to the egg and sugar mixture, whisking to combine. Pour that mixture over the bread in the pan. Gently press bread down with a large spoon or the palm of your hand to make sure all of the bread is saturated.

Prepare for baking by creating a water bath for mixture by placing the 8×8 pan into a larger pan (either a large cake pan or a sheet pan). If using a sheet pan, I recommend placing the sheet pan and 8×8 inside of the oven first and then pouring hot water into it until it reaches about an inch on all sides of the pan.

Bake in the water bath for 35 minutes or until the center is no longer jiggly. Carefully remove from the oven and water bath and let stand for 30 minutes before serving.

Top with confectioner’s sugar before serving if desired.