This simple bread is made from flour, cornmeal, yeast, and molasses. The molasses and cornmeal make for a sweet and nutty aroma while it bakes, which carries over into the flavor.
Sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup warm water. Stir to dissolve. Let sit for 5 minutes. Water temperature should be between 105 to 110℉.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, add 2 1/4 warm water, molasses salt, sugar, and melted butter and stir to combine. Mix in the white flour. Then pour in the yeast. Add cornmeal and mix well. Slowly mix in wheat flour 1 cup at a time until the dough pulls away from sides of the bowl.
Place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a cloth or plastic wrap. Let rise until double in size. About 1 hour.
Punch down and divide dough in half. Shape each half into a ball. Let dough rest while preparing pans. Grease two 9 x 5-inch bread loaf pans. Roll on the countertop to make sure there are no air bubbles under the surface of the dough.
Shape dough into loaves and place into prepared pans. Cover and let rise until a little less than double the size.
Bake in a 375℉ oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 2 loaves.
When adding yeast to warm water, the water temperature should be between 105-110℉. No warmer.
The internal temperature of baked bread should be about 190℉. The internal temp can be checked by inserting an instant-read thermometer.