Butter a 9x13" baking dish. Then use the rest of the 2 tablespoons of butter to butter the front sides of the bread slices and layer the bread upright in the dish so it will all fit and they are evenly dispersed. Then place the raisins in between the slices of bread so that none are on top. (They will burn if on top of the bread.)

In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk the eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, cinnamon , nutmeg, salt and vanilla until combined. Then pour the egg mixture over the bread and press the bread down gently so it all gets immersed in the liquid. Then cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight or at least 6 hours. (Placing a heavy plate or something else on top of the dish while refrigerating will help the bread absorb the liquid better if necessary.)

In the morning, preheat the oven to 350F/ 175C. While the oven preheats, remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly on top.

In a small bowl, combine the 1 tablespoon brown sugar with the 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and then sprinkle over the bread slices and pecans. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes until golden brown on top and set in the center. (Halfway through baking, check to see if the top is browning too much. If it is, loosely cover the top with foil, then continue baking.)