Ingredients for Wonder Bread

Commercially produced bread makes its place into the food history of all ages. Wonder Bread is a North American brand of white bread. It was originally produced by Taggart Baking Company of Indianapolis and debuted on May 21, 1921, after "blind" promotion with ads that stated only that a "Wonder" was coming on May 21, 1921. It was named by Taggart Vice President Elmer Cline, who was inspired by the International Balloon Race at the Indianapolis Speedway resulting in the red, yellow and blue logo.

Taggart was purchased by Continental Baking in 1925. This made Wonder Bread a national brand and added "It's So Baked" to the logo. In the 1930s, Continental Baking began shipping Wonder Bread in sliced form, one of the first companies to do so. Unsliced bread returned for a while during World War II due to metal shortages for the war effort that resulted in the unavailability of blades for the slicing machines.

Whole wheat flour, water, wheat gluten, high fructose corn syrup, contains 2% of less of: soybean oil, salt, molasses, yeast, mono and diglycerides, exthoxylated mono and diglycerides, dough conditioners (sodium stearoyl lactylate, calcium iodate, calcium dioxide), datem, calcium sulfate, vinegar, yeast nutrient (ammonium sulfate), extracts of malted barley and corn, dicalcium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, calcium propionate (to retain freshness).

Homemade Wonder Bread
3¼ hours | 15 min prep

This bread is most like the soft white bread that you buy at the store. If you like a softer crust, butter the top and put in a zip-loc bag.

1 - 2lb. loaf

Ingredients
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/4 cup warm water (110° F)
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon white sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup instant potato flakes
1/4 cup powdered milk
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

In a large bowl, combine flour, potato flakes, powdered milk and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine sugar, yeast, and warm water. Allow to set for 5 – 10 minutes.

Pour contents of small bowl into large bowl and mix. Add additional flour until dough pulls away from the bowl.

Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes - Until smooth dough is formed.

Shape dough into a ball and place in large bowl coated with vegetable oil and set in a warm draft free spot to rise 1 hour.

Punch the dough down and reshape into ball and allow to rise a second time for 40 – 60 minutes.

Preheat oven, 350° F

Place in well oiled bread pan. Allow to rise 30 – 45 minutes.

Bake bread in center of oven. Bread needs to bake 30 – 40 minutes or until internal temperature reads 200° F - bread will be a light brown to medium brown color when done.

Rub bread surface with butter or margarine.

Cool for completely prior to storage.