Bran Cake Bread

This is a knock off on Jane Brody's recipe from the Good Food Book. It is sweet enough with the dried fruit that even most kids will eat it. It works well as muffins, even the bite-size ones, just adjust the bake time so they don't burn. It's a good way to get more fiber in your family's diet, without much resistance.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Yields: 1 Loaf

Ingredients

• 1  cup  unprocessed  wheat bran (not the cereal type)
• 1 1⁄2 cups reduced-fat milk
• 1⁄3 cup  mild molasses
• 1  cup whole wheat flour
• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 2  tablespoons granulated sugar (generous tablespoons)
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄3 cup dried cranberries or 1⁄3 cup raisins
• 1⁄3 cup  coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1  large egg, lightly beaten
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3  tablespoons  vegetable oil (generous tablespoons)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray a 9×5 inch metal loaf pan with flour-added cooking spray or grease and flour.
3. Combine bran, milk and molasses in a medium bowl and let sit for about 10 minutes to soften bran.
4. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a large mixing bowl.
5. Stir in the toasted nuts and dried fruit.
6. Add the egg, vanilla and oil to the bran mixture.
7. Stir well, then dump the bran mixture into the flour mixture and stir gently to combine.
8. Pour into pan and bake on center rack for about 50 minutes.