Peanut Butter and Cream Cheese Banana Bread with Candied Bacon

For the Candied Bacon:
• 4-6 slices bacon
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the Banana Bread:
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
• 5 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce (can use 5 tablespoons melted butter instead but applesauce is a great substitute for a healthier option)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
• 3 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the icing:
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 4 oz Melanie’s Medleys cream cheese (room temperature)
• 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk (can add more if you like a thinner frosting)

Preheat oven to 350. Start by making candied bacon-Combine maple syrup, dark brown sugar and cayenne pepper in a bowl and mix together. Coat each slice of bacon with the mixture until evenly coated. Lay strips of bacon on a foil-covered baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until bacon is caramelized but not burnt. While the bacon is cooking in a medium-sized bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, mix together the applesauce and the mashed bananas. Mix in the beaten egg, sugar, peanut butter, cream cheese and vanilla.
Continue to stir and slowly add in the dry mixture Mix until batter is combined and all lumps are gone. Once the bacon has cooled, chop into pieces and stir into the batter. Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan.