White Chocolate and Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

Happy First Day of Fall! My favorite of all seasons, even if the Florida version of it isn't quite what the rest of the country experiences. To celebrate, I decided to make mini pumpkin bread loaves to deliver to a few friends.

Last Christmas, one of the girls from my message board, Shawna, shared a chocolate chip pumpkin bread recipe. I hadn't baked in forever, but she promised it was easy, so I made them as gifts for our neighbors and family members, in little Holiday ceramic loaf pans, tied with Christmas greens and red berries.

This time, I experimented and used white chocolate chips and dried sweetened cranberries. I tinkered with other aspects, such as the addition of wheat flour, reducing the sugar and subbing a good part of the oil for applesauce.They came out wonderful! I especially love the cranberry in it! The white chocolate seems a little lost, though. Since you can't really taste it, I'm not sure if it should just be omitted or more used.

I've heard about a pumpkin shortage, but assumed it was more of myth, however the first two stores (Publix and Sweetbay) didn't have it, so I went to my favorite little natural food market and they did. I probably paid twice as much for a tiny can of organic pumpkin than one double the size at a grocery store, but I found it! I was lazy about driving across town to Michaels for the ceramic loaf pans and just made them in throw-aways, so I tried to dress them up with dried leaves and berries and chocolate ribbon and cardstock.

adapted from Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread, Berger's Bites

Makes 5 mini loaves

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup lite brown sugar

1 (15 oz) can or 2 cups canned pumpkin puree

3/4 cup natural applesauce

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup Craisins

Preheat oven to 350° Grease mini loaf pans.

Combine dry ingredients in one bowl. In another bowl, beat eggs, sugars, pumpkin and oil. Stir into dry ingredients until moistened. Then add chocolate chips and dried cranberry.

Pour into pans. Bake for about 45 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean.

The finished product, all ready to be delivered.