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Pop Pop's Brown Bread

Brown Bread is a steamed colonial classic; a dense, moist loaf with a rich, complex flavor that dances between sweet and savory.  


A blend of cornmeal and flour gives it extra body and moisture, and molasses and brown sugar add a deep, caramel-like sweetness.


Steaming rather than baking develops a moist, cake-like loaf that’s firm and satisfyingly substantial.  Its flavor is warm and faintly spicy from the molasses. 

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Served warm with a smear of butter, it’s the perfect accompaniment to holiday dinners. 


It can easily be transformed with cream cheese or jam into a sweet tea bread.


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Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp shortening

  • ¼ cup brown sugar

  • 1 egg

  • ¾ cup dark molasses

  • 2-¼ cups flour

  • 1 tsp salt

  • ¾ cup yellow cornmeal

  • 1-½ tsp baking powder

  • 1-½ tsp baking soda

  • 1-¾ cups buttermilk

  • 1 cup raisins

  • 1 cup chopped dates

  • 1 cup chopped figs


Hardware:

             Note: A "Braided" or "Fluted" bread pan produces an attractive loaf.


  • You'll also need a large covered roasting pan for steaming. This 19-inch turkey roaster provides plenty of room for the loaf pan and water bath.



15 mins

Prep Time:

2 hrs 30 mins

Cook Time:

2 hrs 45 mins

Total Time:

Tags:

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1 loaf

Servings:

Sides

Course:

Human

Human or Dog:

Published:

June 17, 2026

Instructions

1. Mix the flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking powder and baking soda.


2. In a separate bowl, sprinkle the raisins, chopped dates, and chopped figs with a little bit of flour, and mix to coat all of the fruit bits. Transfer into a strainer to remove the excess flour.


3. In a separate bowl, cream the shortening and sugar.


4. Beat in the egg, molasses, and Buttermilk.


5. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.


6. Blend in the raisins, chopped dates, and chopped figs and mix until just combined.


7. Pour into one large greased bread pan. Cover with foil; crimp tightly around the rim of pan. 

Note: A tight crimp is essential to prevent condensation accumulating on the top of the loaf.


8. Set the bread pan in a deep pan with a lid (e.g., turkey roaster). Add hot water to the roasting pan until it reaches approximately halfway up the outside of the bread pan. Cover the pan and steam on top of range for 2-½ hours. Add hot water as necessary to maintain the water level.


9. Remove the bread from the pan and put on a rack to cool. The bread may be lightly sprinkled with confectionary sugar for appearance, if desired.


For storage, seal in plastic wrap. The loaf does not need to be refrigerated.


Notes/Variations

Notes:

The bread is traditionally steamed in a cylindrical coffee can over simmering water. However, it is more convenient to cook and easier to remove if steamed in a loaf pan, as suggested in the recipe’s image (and it looks fancier, too!).

Dog Commentary:

Leeloo said that she included the recipe hack from Alton Brown to dredge the dried fruit in flour to prevent it sinking to the bottom of the batter.


Bobby believes if some is good, more is more is better. He said that when Leeloo isn’t looking, he adds extra dried fruit to the batter.

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