Description
Grandma’s Irish Soda Bread is a traditional, hearty, and slightly sweet bread that combines simple pantry ingredients for a quick and satisfying homemade loaf. This recipe features tender, moist bread studded with raisins or currants and lightly spiced with caraway seeds, perfect for warm butter and jam on any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds (optional)
Wet Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold and cut into small cubes)
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
- 1 large egg
Add-ins
- 1 cup raisins or currants
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a cast iron skillet or baking sheet to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar until thoroughly combined.
- Cut in Butter: Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter.
- Add Raisins and Caraway Seeds: Stir in the raisins (or currants) and the optional caraway seeds evenly throughout the crumb mixture.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg until well blended.
- Form Dough: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture. Stir gently just until combined; the dough will be sticky and slightly shaggy.
- Knead Gently: Turn the sticky dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 8 to 10 times to bring it together without overworking.
- Shape and Score: Shape the dough into a round loaf and place it on the prepared skillet or baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, cut a deep “X” across the top of the loaf. This helps the bread expand while baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 40–45 minutes, or until the loaf turns golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let cool before slicing to ensure the crumb sets properly.
Notes
- For a more tender loaf, avoid overmixing the dough.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, substitute with 1 3/4 cups milk mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar.
- This bread is best served warm, ideally with butter and jam.
