Chad Lavely put a successful spin on the Granville Inn’s signature raisin bread recipe following the Licking County landmark’s 2015 renovation. “The old recipe didn’t fit today’s restaurant trend,” says Lavely, who cut the yeast in order to give the bread a more cake-like texture. “We wanted to be more health conscious while still paying tribute to the original recipe.” 

Granville Inn Post-Renovation Raisin Bread | Makes 2 loaves
Recipe courtesy of the Granville Inn

INGREDIENTS
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar, divided
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs 
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup raisins
3 tablespoons cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine flour, 1 1/2 cups of sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix eggs, buttermilk and oil together and stir into dry ingredients until just moistened, then fold in raisins. Mix remaining 1/2 cup of sugar with 3 tablespoons cinnamon and set aside. Grease two 8-inch loaf pans, and then line each with parchment paper. Put 1/3 of the batter in the bottom of the two pans and sprinkle with 1/3 of the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Repeat until all batter and sugar mix has been used. Cut through the batter with a knife 3 to 4 times. Bake 30–35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Place on cooling rack while in pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool completely.