2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
1 cup golden or dark seedless raisins or Craisins
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 2 quart round casserole.

In a large bowl with fork, mix whole-wheat flour and next 5 ingredients. With pastry blender or two knives used scissor-fashion, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; stir in raisins.

In a small bowl with fork, beat eggs slightly. Remove 1 tablespoon beaten egg and set aside.

Stir butter, milk and remaining egg into flour mixture just until flour is moistened, (dough will be sticky).

Turn dough onto well-floured surface, With floured hands, knead dough about 10 strokes to mix thoroughly.

Shape dough into a ball; place in casserole.

With sharp knife, cut a 4-inch cross about 1/4 inch deep in center of dough ball; brush dough with reserved egg.

Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of bread comes out clean.

Cool bread in casserole on wire rack 10 minutes; remove bread from casserole and cool on rack 30 minutes for easier slicing.

Serve bread warm or cool bread completely on wire rack to serve later.

Makes 1 loaf.

Variation: Fresh cranberries, dried fruit, dried blueberries, or citron can be added with the raisins.

Submitted by: CM