Molasses Bread

Begin by placing all the ingredients in the designated bread machine pan, following the manufacturer's recommended order. Choose the 'Dough' or 'White Bread' setting and initiate the machine. Proceed with the Start option.

If the dough fails to coalesce into a ball on the paddle, you may need to add small increments of flour - one tablespoon at a time - until it forms a cohesive mass. Allow the machine to complete its predetermined cycle.

For conventional baking, lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Once the dough has completed its cycle in the bread machine, carefully remove it from the pan and shape it into a loaf. Place the shaped dough in the prepared pan and permit it to rise until it has doubled in size.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Bake the dough in the preheated oven until its top is a golden brown color, approximately 40 minutes. To check for doneness, carefully lift the loaf out of the pan onto a flat surface and gently tap its bottom. If it produces a hollow sound, the bread is cooked.