Quick Whole Wheat and Molasses Bread

Ingredients

• Oil or butter for greasing pan
• 1 ⅔ cups buttermilk or plain yogurt, or 1 1/2 cups milk and 2 tablespoons white vinegar (see Step 2)
• 2 ½ cups (about 12 ounces) whole wheat flour
• ½ cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup molasses

1 loaf

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-by-4-inch or 9-by 5-inch loaf pan, preferably nonstick.
2. If using buttermilk or yogurt, ignore this step. Make soured milk: warm milk gently — 1 minute in the microwave is sufficient, just enough to take the chill off — and add vinegar. Set aside.
3. Mix together dry ingredients. Stir molasses into buttermilk, yogurt or soured milk. Stir liquid into dry ingredients (just enough to combine) then pour into loaf pan. Bake until firm and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before removing from pan.

• Lighter Whole Wheat Quick Bread: Use 11/2 cups whole wheat and 11/2 cups all-purpose flour; omit cornmeal. Substitute honey for molasses. Beat 1 egg into wet ingredients in Step 3. Proceed with recipe.