Irish soda bread -a good old fashioned recipe that can be prepped in 10 minutes! The buttermilk gives this bread the perfect flavor. It’s crunchy on the outside and moist and sweet on the inside!
This irish soda bread is so simple to make and tastes great! There is no yeast in this recipe and there is no rise time making it super quick. The outside texture reminds me of a scone, while the inside is tender and sweet. My kids weren’t sure of the texture at first, but it grew on them. It’s definitely not the same texture as my traditional bread recipe, but so yummy. My husband and I couldn’t stop eating it! It tastes great served with butter and a little bit of honey. We absolutely loved it and will be making it again for dinner on Saint Patrick’s Day!
What is soda bread?
According to Wikipedia… “The ingredients of traditional soda bread are flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk. The buttermilk in the dough contains lactic acid, which reacts with the baking soda to form tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide. Other ingredients can be added such as butter, egg, raisins, or nuts. An advantage of quick breads is their ability to be prepared quickly and reliably, without requiring the time-consuming skilled labor and temperature control needed for traditional yeast breads.” If you’re interested about the history of Irish soda bread, you can read more about it here. It’s fun to learn more about the history.
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How to make Irish soda bread
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or fork. Stir in the buttermilk and egg.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed with your hands until the bread forms a ball. At this point you can cut the dough in half to make 2 smaller loaves or 1 large loaf. Press it down and round the edges and then cut an ‘X’ in the top of the loaf.
- Combine the melted butter and buttermilk in a small bowl and then brush half of it on top of the loaf.
For a sweeter version mix 1 cup of raisins (or 1/2 cup into half of the loaf). Then sprinkle with sugar after brushing the butter on top before baking. Then slice it and top with a little more butter and honey. DELISH!!
This recipe is perfectly paired with these meals:
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Irish soda bread recipe
Irish soda bread
Irish soda bread -a good old fashioned recipe that can be prepped in 10 minutes! The buttermilk gives this bread the perfect flavor. It's crunchy on the outside and moist and sweet on the inside!
Ingredients
Bread:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 Tablespoons Kerrygold Irish Butter can substitute for butter or margarine, slightly softened
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 1 large egg
For brushing on top:
- 1/4 cup butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a skillet, pizza stone or baking sheet.
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In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or fork. Stir in the buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed with your hands until the bread forms a ball. At this point you can cut the dough in half to make 2 smaller loaves or 1 large loaf. Press it down and round the edges and then cut an 'X' in the top of the loaf.
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Combine the melted butter and buttermilk in a small bowl and then brush half of it on top of the loaf. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick comes clean, about 45-55 minutes. Brush remaining butter onto the bread while it bakes.
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Cool on baking rack and serve warm. Best served the first day.
Recipe Notes
For a sweeter version mix 1 cup of raisins (or 1/2 cup into half of the loaf). Then sprinkle with sugar after brushing the butter on top before baking.
Adapted from All Recipes
