Orange and Cranberry Banana Bread

I never understand how people can voluntarily get out of bed at 6.30 in the morning, prepare breakfast and coffee and bounce to work. I have to be practically dragged out of bed and beaten with a stick before I eventually crawl out of bed and sulk at the bathroom mirror. But anyway, my point is that most days I like thinking about breakfast the night before (yes, dreams of cake and muffins and all sweet goodness). In that way, all I have to do in the mornings is brew some coffee and cut a slice of **insert baked good here**.

This recipe is a take on the old fashion banana bread which I've spruced up with some cranberries and orange peel (I feel inclined to preach the message of Microplanes, but I won't). Banana breads in general tend to be a little too sweet for my liking, so for this recipe I used less sugar. If the bread turns out to be a little bland for you, you can always serve it with some honey or maple syrup. Minimal oil was also used in the recipe as both mashed bananas and applesauce gives the bread a soft, moist texture.

Orange and Cranberry Banana Bread
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp orange peel
1.5 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
1.5 cup mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 tbsp rum (optional)
2 tbsp milled flaxseed (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs, rum and vanilla extract. Mix flour, sugar, orange peel and baking powder in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the egg mixture, applesauce and canola oil.

Add in the mashed bananas and cranberries. Mix all the ingredients until just moist.

Lightly rub a 9x5in loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray. Pour in the mixture, scatter milled flaxseed on top and bake in preheated oven for 45 - 50 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.