The Weekly Kitchen: A cozy New Recipe for Wintertime Baking

By ANGELA McRAE, Special to The Weekly

January is the month for contemplation. If December is for looking back at the old year, January’s job is to look ahead into the new one.

The British writer and futurist Joanna Penn has said, “One of the best ways to predict the future is to create it.” I find this to be such sensible advice. While we certainly can’t know everything a new year will bring—we’re not God, after all—we can sure pray and plan and work hard so that some things we desire do indeed happen.

This month, I am thinking about the places I want to go, the new habits I want to create, and of course the words I want to write. I’ve had a couple of new cookbook ideas simmering for the past few years, and 2024 is the year one of them (at least) needs to come to fruition.

For most of January, you’ll find me holed up in my office with my planner, happily jotting down ideas and goals, and because of this period of reflection and how much time we spend indoors, I always think of January as the coziest month. And if there is a smell cozier than that of bread baking in a hot oven on a cold morning, I can’t think of it, so January is the perfect time to try a new quick bread recipe.

I enjoy baking but got my fill of sweets over the holidays. Cookies, cakes, and candies just don’t appeal to me right now. In fact, when some family members visited right after Christmas and we decided to get takeout for lunch, most of us requested salads!

Still, those who like to play in the kitchen are going to bake something this month, and I have the perfect treat to see us through until Valentine’s Day—an old-fashioned Molasses Bread. I found the recipe in one of my many antique store recipe booklets, and this easy-to-prepare loaf sounded perfect for wintertime. I had some of this bread right out of the oven with a little jam, and you can also serve it lightly toasted and buttered for a breakfast treat. It’s got just enough sugar and molasses to make it slightly sweet, and I can see why this vintage recipe has stood the test of time.

Molasses Bread

1 large egg
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup melted shortening
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, beat egg until light and fluffy, then add sugar, molasses, and shortening and blend well. In separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture alternately with the buttermilk and combine. Bake in a greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan for about 1 hour and let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.