Quick Whole Wheat and Molasses Bread

This is a revisited recipe. I made this way back when my blog was just taking baby steps, so I thought I'd re-visit it again, cause these bread is so quick and easy to make I think everyone should try it. This is a Mark Bittman recipe I came across a few years ago reading the New York Times recipe log. I made this bread in the time it took the oven to heat up.

There are only 6 ingredients. You can literally whip this together in 5 minutes and in about 45 minutes you have a loaf of delicious bread. That’s how fast and easy it is. It not only tastes great, but it's pretty darn good for ya too. I double or triple the recipe and then freeze a few loaves.

My favorite part of making this bread, besides eating it, is stirring together the buttermilk and molasses. It turns into this gorgeous deep caramel color that looks so good you'll almost want to drink it, but you won't cause well, it's buttermilk and molasses and that's just nasty.

I used my favorite white corn meal to make this. You can use yellow cornmeal, but I'm just parital to this brand:



Quick Whole Wheat Molasses Bread
Printable recipe Yield – 1 loaf.

1 2/3 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt * don't have buttermilk on hand, no problem, see note.
2 ½ cups (about 12 ounces) whole wheat flour
½ cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup molasses

Heat oven to 325. Grease an 8x4 inch or 9x5 inch loaf pan, preferably nonstick. I use parchment in the pan too, but that's optional.



Mix together all the dry ingredients. I put mine in a big bowl and whisk it to combine. Stir molasses into the buttermilk. Stir liquid into dry ingredients (just enough to combine – don’t over mix!!) Pour into loaf pan. Bake until firm and a toothpick inserted into the center comes our clean. My bread was done in 45 minutes, yours could take longer, but check it at the 45 minutes mark. Cool on rack for 15 minutes before removing from pan.

*Note: To make your own buttermilk (or soured milk). Warm 1 1/2 cups milk for 1 minute in the microwave, just enough to take the chill off. Add 2 tablespoons white vinegar. Set aside to allow to thicken.