Boston Brown Bread

Boston Brown Bread is unlike any bread I have tasted. It is soft, spongy, and it has an earthy sweetness that most other loaves of bread do not possess.

Boston Brown Bread has been around for many years. It is famous for not being baked but steamed in tin coffee cans.

Before coffee companies packed their retail coffee in plastic jugs, tin cans were the preferred vessel for their coffee. Tin coffee can are from a past era now.

Home bakers like myself now use large tomato cans to steam our Boston Brown Bread. The only downside to this substitution is the size of the loaf is smaller, but tomato cans do the job.

Boston Brown bread’s trademark is its rich molasses taste. I am not a fan of molasses; however, the taste of this bread showcases the sweetness quite nicely.

My take on this bread is very traditional. I use the best molasses I can find, and I always use King Arthur Flour because I get the best results.

I hope you grab a tomato can and steam up a loaf of this delicious bread. Then, enjoy it with a cup of coffee, even if the coffee beans are from a plastic container. I won’t tell if you don’t. Enjoy!

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Boston Brown Bread

Boston Brown Bread is dense, sweet, and studded with raisins, It is steamed in a used tomato sauce can, and is possibly the best bread I have ever eaten.

Course bread

Cuisine American

Keyword Boston Brown Bread

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Doug Bakes Staff

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter, room temperature, to butter the cans
• 1/2 cup Bread flour
• 1/2 cup cup rye flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup golden raisins

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter one 28-ounce can (or two 15 1/2-ounce cans). Set a pot of water to a boil.

2. Whisk together AP and rye flours, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

3. Stir in sour cream, molasses, and water. Fold in raisins if using. Pour batter into a prepared can.

4. Place the can in a deep pot with a tight-fitting lid (foil may also be used) and add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the can. Cover the pot and bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 1/4 hours for 28-ounce bread or about 55 minutes for 15 1/2-ounce loaves of bread.

5. Remove can from water and let cool slightly on a wire rack.

6. Turn out bread; shaking can if necessary to loosen. Return to a rack to cool completely. Enjoy!