Irish Soda Bread
Caraway seeds make a big difference in this recipe. You can use all golden currants or mix with some raising. Sometime I also grate a bit of lemon or orange rind into dough before baking. Can be made one day ahead if wrapped tightly in foil or wrap at room temperature. Part of the St. Patrick's Day Menu.
Ingredients
  • 5C Flour
  • 1C Sugar
  • 1Tbsp Baking Powder
  • 1 1/2tsp Salt
  • 1tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2C Butter softened
  • 2 1/2C Golden Currants or Raisins
  • 3Tbsp Caraway Seeds
  • 2 1/2C Buttermilk
  • 1 Egg
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Generously grease an oven proof 10 - 12" skillet, 2 - 8" cake pans or a large cake pan
  3. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a bowl.
  4. Add butter using finger tips or a pastry cutter to form course crumbs
  5. Stir in currants and rind if desired
  6. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk and eggs to blend
  7. Add buttermilk mixture to dough using a wooden spoon and stir just enough to incorporate all ingredients. Dough will be sticky.
  8. Transfer dough to prepared skillet, smooth top, mounding slightly in center.
  9. Cut 1" deep X in the top center with floured knife. (Doesn't always work well - only for looks)
  10. Bake until bread is cooked through and tester inserted in center comes out clean - about 75 minutes.
  11. Cool in pan 10 minutes and turn out on rack to cool.