Kevin's Irish Soda Bread
Submitted by cheftall
This traditional Irish soda bread studded with plump raisins and fragrant caraway seeds bakes up golden and crusty on the outside, tender and cake-like on the inside, no yeast required.
YIELD
20 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
30 minREADY
50 minIrish soda bread is the ultimate quick bread: no waiting for yeast to rise, no fancy equipment, just simple pantry ingredients that come together in minutes.
The buttermilk reacts with baking soda to give this loaf its signature tender crumb, while caraway seeds add that classic Irish bakery flavor. Sweet raisins scattered throughout offer little pockets of sweetness that balance the tangy bread perfectly.
The iconic cross cut into the top isn’t just for show. It helps the thick loaf bake evenly and, according to Irish folklore, lets the fairies out.
Pro Tips
- Don’t overwork the dough: Mix just until combined and knead only until smooth. Overworking develops gluten and makes the bread tough.
- Fresh buttermilk: The acidity is crucial for the chemical leavening to work properly.
- The thump test: The bread is done when it sounds hollow when you tap the bottom.
- Butter finish: Rubbing the hot loaf with butter and sprinkling with sugar creates a sweet, glossy crust that’s traditionally Irish.
Ingredients
Directions
Directions: Mix 4 cups of the flour with the remaining ingredients with a fork until mixed.
Sprinkle ¼ cup of flour on a board and turn out dough.
Knead flour in until it forms a smooth dough.
(Add more flour as needed).
Grease a 9” round skillet or cake pan, dust with flour, then press loaf into pan.
Cut a ½ inch deep cross in top of loaf.
Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes at 375 degrees, or until it sounds hollow.
Remove from pan to a wire rack; rub with butter and sprinkle with sugar.
Cool completely.
Comments
3000 calories per serving: hopefully a BIG miscalculation.I've checked several recipes and nearly all have astronomical calories/serving numbers. What is wrong.
Just updated the serving numbers, this bread should be 20 servings, now the calories of per serving is correct, thanks for your comment!!