Combine 2 1/4 cups flour, salt, sugar, yeast, and mix. Add 1/4 cup butter, eggs, warm water, and mix. Add 1 cup flour. Knead. Divide into 3 bowls. Add 2 tablespoons molasses and the whole wheat flour to first bowl. Add yellow cornmeal to second bowl. Add 1 1/4 cup white flour to third bowl. Knead each on appropriately floured board for 10 minutes. Dough should bounce back when poked. Grease bowls, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour. Punch down. Then divide portions in half and make 2 braided loaves. Cover with damp cloth over wax paper, let rise for 1 hour in loaf pans. Then bake for 25-30 minutes at 350ºF. Baste with butter and then cook 10 more minutes. Let cool for at least half an hour before cutting.
Note: The cornbread part seems to be rather bitter in this recipe, and to "go bad" before the rest of the loaf. To sweeten up the cornbread part, I have tried variations such as adding honey and/or corn syrup to the cornbread part much like the instructions say to add molasses to the wheat bread part. If you make this and still find the cornbread part too bitter, I would suggest using half the amount of corn meal and making up the rest with white flour.
![[braided bread]](braidbr2.jpg)
![[braided bread]](braidbr1.jpg)