A real simple recipe for bran bread (pancake, brown sugar, baking)

[sublet]

I found a real simple bread recipe called: Whole-Wheat Bran Bread Risney-Manning.

1.5 cu wheat bran
2.5 cu whole wheat
1 tsp salt
1.5 tsp baking soda
1/4 tightly packed brown sugar
2 cu buttermilk
1/2 cu molasses
(optional) 1/2 cu raisins

I didn't have molasses so I used pancake syrup. I'm on my 3rd loaf right now and didn't have enough buttermilk for all 2 cups so I used regular milk for the other cup. Someone told me that buttermilk and baking soda help the bread to rise. My question is: can I substitute regular milk for buttermilk? What if I don't have any milk? Can I use water? Is there something else I can add to help the bread rise?

[momtothree]

You can make faux buttermilk by adding a tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar to a cup of milk. I think where you are going to run into trouble is the molasses. I can't see pancake syrup being a substitute. Let us know how it turns out.

[sublet]

It turned out 'ok' - didn't seem as fluffy as the other ones. I'll try the lemon juice. And maybe I'll try to find some real molasses too.