healthy & wise: ginger-studded molasses bread

By Sunday evening, I felt my mojo returning. I was feeling healthy again, but I didn't want to bust up the joint by letting all hell break loose, so I started off with some wholesome baking. And I mean wholesome. Don't fool yourself that you are making gingerbread. This isn't very sweet and the ginger and molasses pack a powerful one-two punch. But it's also delicious and makes a very nice breakfast with strong coffee and a slice eaten late at night with a pot of tea still seems a little sinful.

When I first tasted this bread, I though that maybe I should have increased the candied ginger instead of adding in raisins. The ginger flavour was there but not as gingery as I was hoping. The next day however, the flavours had really intensified and I'm glad I didn't up the ginger ante. I decided to divide the batter into 2 loaf pans rather than make just one loaf. So I tightly wrapped the one destined for the freezer in plastic wrap to be enjoyed at a later date.


ginger-studded molasses bread
1 c whole wheat flour
1 c all-purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1 t ground ginger
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves
1/2 t salt
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
2 eggs
1/3 c packed brown sugar
1 c buttermilk
1/2 c blackstrap molasses
1/4 c canola oil
1/4 c candied ginger, diced
1/4 c raisins (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a mixing bowl, combine the flours, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda together. Set aside.

2. In another large bowl, mix the brown sugar, eggs, buttermilk, molasses and oil together. Beat in the flour mixture and then fold in the ginger and raisins.

3. Pour batter into a greased and floured bread tin and bake for 50 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.