Boston Brown Bread

By shawnanewton

Wonderful with warm, sweet butter!

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. pastry flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 c. cornmeal
• 1 c. whole wheat flour
• 1 c. raisins
• 1/4 c. vegetable oil
• 3/4 c. blackstrap molasses
• 2 c. buttermilk

Preparation

Step 1

Sift the flour, baking powder and soda together. Stir in cornmeal and whole wheat flour. Add raisins and mix until raisins are coated with flour. In a small bowl, combine oil, molasses and buttermilk, and mix thoroughly. Combine the two mixtures and pour to the halfway point of clean, buttered cans. Cover the cans with aluminum foil and secure with string. Place the covered cans on the rack in a large kettle and pour water halfway up the cans. Cover the kettle and bring the water to a boil. Then turn the heat down and simmer until breads are cooked through (1-lb. can, 3 hours; 16 and 20 oz. cans about an hour).

To test for doneness, remove foil top and push surface of the bread lightly with your finger. If the bread feels firm and the surface is moist but not sticky, the bread is done.