2. Beat together milk and molasses and stir this mixture into dry ingredients.

3. Heavily butter two 1-pound coffee cans and divide batter equally between them. Cover with buttered round of aluminum foil, securing it in place with kitchen twine.

4. Place cans on a rack in a large soup kettle. Add boiling water to reach halfway up sides of cans. Bring water to a boil, cover kettle tightly, and simmer bread for two hours.

5. Remove cans from kettle and allow bread to cool for ten minutes. Turn bread out of cans and serve at once.