Quick Molasses Whole Wheat or Spelt Bread

Quick Molasses Whole Wheat or Spelt Bread

I originally tried this recipe back in 2007 when I was learning how to make bread using yeast. I was skeptical this would be as good as some of the other yeast-based bread recipes I was trying at the time, like Anadama Bread.

It was better as it did not require yeast, kneading or rising time. It makes one 9” loaf and can be made in under two hours.

I re-visited this recipe earlier this year using Spelt Flour and found it to be moist and sweet. For those unfamiliar, spelt is a whole grain and an ancient species of wheat whose taste I find similar to whole wheat.

As with the majority of my bread recipes, this one comes from my 13th edition of the Fanny Farmer Cookbook which describes this as “Brown as a chestnut, moist, and honest in taste.”

Quick Molasses Whole Wheat or Spelt Bread

yield: (9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf)

½ cup white flour and 2 cups whole-wheat flour OR 2 cups spelt flour OR 2 – 2 ½ cups whole-wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt OR ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup shortening, melted

1 ½ tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice

1 ½ scant cups milk (dairy or soy)

½ cup molasses

Place the vinegar or lemon juice in the bottom of a 2 cup liquid measuring cup and fill the cup with milk to equal 1 1/2 cups. Set aside to allow milk to “sour”.

Place oven rack in middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit. Grease 9 inch loaf pan.

In small, microwave safe bowl, melt shortening.

Mix flour(s), baking powder, baking soda, salt in a large bowl, add shortening, sour milk and molasses, and stir until well blended. Spoon into the loaf pan and back for about 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove bread from the pan and cool on a rack. 

bread slices ready for toasting 

or a sandwich