I had some pictures taken this week…. the kind of pictures where I had to pretend to be an actress with glossy lips and curled hair.
The kind of pictures where you have to look surprised and pleased and over the shoulder and don’t do that weird thing with your lips and open your eyes wider and tuck that crazy hair under the less crazy hairs and what the heck are you doing with your chin and please stop that…
Those kind of pictures.
Dumb.
Know what I learned? My forehead is huge.
When I was a kid my Dad made fun of me for having a huge forehead (thanks dad… it’s your fault anyway!), and I had assumed that I had grown into my large upper face region. I was wrong. Totally disproportionate. I’m reconsidering bangs. Please don’t tell my Dad…. the last thing I need is for that whole thing to start up again.
I tell you about my large forehead because it has everything to do with this loaf of bread.
Where my forehead is disproportionate to my face… this bread, with its six simple ingredients, is totally proportionate to… itself.
Wait.
See what I did there?
Forehead and bread.
Proportions are very important in a loaf as simple as this. The ratio of flour to liquid and leavening lends a distinct texture… in this case, darn near perfect.
This beautiful loaf is somewhere right between sweet and savory. There’s no sugar beyond the dark molasses. But lemme tell ya… just the molasses adds a really lovely and deep flavor.
Whole wheat flour and cornmeal lend to the savory aspects of the bread and give this loaf a great nuttiness and just a bit of crunch. I could totally see serving this bread with a hearty vegetarian soup for dinner or a cup of tea for breakfast. I spread my with Nutella. Duh… delicious. Then I spread it with cream cheese and my head just about exploded. Perfect.
Whole Wheat Molasses Bread
makes one 8×4 or 9×5-inch loaf
recipe from the New York Times
1 2/3 cups buttermilk or plain yogurt
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup molasses
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8×4 or 9×5-inch loaf pan. Non-stick baking spray works well too.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, salt and baking soda.
In a small bowl whisk together buttermilk or yogurt and molasses.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold to combine. The batter will be slightly thick, but not dry. Spoon batter into prepared pan and place in the oven. Bake loaf for 45 minutes to an hour. Depending on how evenly your oven bakes, you might want to rotate the loaf in the middle of baking. Be careful though. Don’t manhandle it too hard or it might deflate.
When a skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, remove the loaf from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes in the loaf pan. Run a butter knife along the sides of the pan and carefully invert onto a wire rack.
Loaf will keep, well wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Serve with cream cheese, jam, salted butter or nutella.
Mary at n00bcakes
I love how everyone is suddenly on a Nutella kick. I love putting Nutella in/on things. It makes my day (and hopefully yours, too)!
Happy When Not Hungry
Wow this bread looks awesome! I’ve never tried making whole wheat molasses anything, so will definitely have to try. Thanks for sharing!
Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean
haha, love the forehead bread. looks great!
Jennifer Jo
Don’t we get to SEE the pictures of you?
joythebaker
no way!
Cathy B. @ Bright Bakes
This is what I want to make today. Perfect!
love,
cathy b. @ brightbakes
Caroline
I’m going to have to try this, I love everything that has to do with molasses, and this bread looks too good to pass up!
nancy k.
…and into the oven it goes! Reading this post early was perfect timing as I wanted to bake something but just didn’t feel like making anything too sweet. I love, love , love your whole wheat sunflower seed bread but I think this new one will top it on my ” bake this often” recipe list. Thanks, Joy.
Oh, I bet those pics were really cute… I have never noticed you to have a large forehead in any of your posted pictures.
Lynn Brown
Ok, another bread to add to my bread list since it is on my list of 2011 food goals. and nutella!!! I always love nutella. I could put it on cardboard and eat it! Seriously!
marytn
fyi—you are beautiful exactly as you are.
oh—and love the recipe; will try this weekend with stew of some sort!
Amy's Cooking Adventures
Must try! Sounds healthy & delicious!
Tiffany @ Conor & Bella
I love making yeast bread, but sometimes it’s nice to have quick and easy bread like this to make! I will definitely be making this soon. And I LOVE molasses in whole wheat bread. So good.
Lauren
Simple, healthy, tasty… the only thing that is preventing me from making this bread rightthissecond is a pesky little thing called work. Oh wait, maybe I shouldn’t even be reading blogs right now ;).
Lauren at KeepItSweet
Time to stock up on Molasses!
Kylie @ A Hungry Spoon
I’m LOVING the short ingredient list on this bread! And no oil? Awesome! Molasses Cookies are a staple on my holiday cookie plates, but I feel like I really only bake with molasses around the holidays. I can’t wait to try this bread :)
Sanjeeta kk
Wow! looks so moist and delicious! Would be glad if this comes to the wholewheat event on my site :) I am bookmarking this healthy loaf for a regular at my dinning table. Thanks for such innovative treat, and it is eggless too.