<Tr> <Th> Written </Th> <Td> 1900 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Songwriter (s) </Th> <Td> James Whitcomb Riley </Td> </Tr> <P> "Shortnin' Bread" (also spelled "Shortenin' Bread," "Short'nin' Bread," or "Sho'tnin' Bread") is a song written by James Whitcomb Riley in 1900 . A folk version was published by E.C. Perrow in 1915 . It is song number 4209 in the Roud Folk Song Index . Shortening bread refers to a fried batter bread, made of corn meal, flour, hot water, eggs, baking powder, milk and shortening . </P> <P> "Shortnin' Bread" is often thought of as a traditional plantation song . However, the first version was written by white poet James Whitcomb Riley in 1900 . His song was named "A Short'nin' Bread Song--Pieced Out", the chorus of which is: </P>

Mama's little baby loves short'nin bread song