The Ultimate Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Baking Irish Soda Bread with my grandmother is one of my favorite memories from childhood. While Irish Soda Bread is typically associated with Saint Patrick’s Day, we baked this delicious bread throughout the year for family celebrations, tea with girlfriends, or a sweet morning treat. Grammy’s mother brought the recipe over with her from Ireland and it’s been a family favorite for decades. Once our little ones are a bit bigger, I can’t wait to introduce them to the joys of baking my favorite bread!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg (slightly beaten)
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (room temp)
• 1 cup raisins
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds

Instructions

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in a medium bowl.
3. Add the egg and buttermilk to the butter and sugar mixture. Blend well.
4. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir until well mixed.
5. Fold in the raisins and caraway seeds.
6. Pour dough into a greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish
7. Brush the top of the dough with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar
8. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes
9. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 30 minutes more

Notes

• Irish Soda Bread freezes really well. I typically make two at a time to use up the buttermilk and then freeze or gift the extra one. Once the bread has cooled, it can be frozen either whole or in slices. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil. It’s best if eaten within 2-3 months of freezing.
• Make sure the raisins you use are fresh. If you grab an old box from your pantry and they’ve dried out, you will be able to tell the difference.
• I use one of these silicone pasty brushes to paint the melted butter on top of the dough. They help a lot, since this dough is pretty sticky. And I’m fairly heavy handed with the sprinkle of sugar on top – I find it adds a nice crunch to the Irish Soda Bread.

Do you have a favorite childhood recipe or memory of baking with family? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.