This homemade Irish Soda Bread made with buttermilk, flour and raisins is moist and delicious. Make it all year long, not just St. Patrick’s Day!
Technically, this recipe for Irish Soda Bread is a Recipe ReRun and I’ve shared it several times before. However, in the past I had always included it under a holiday post for St. Patrick’s Day, but this year I think it deserved a place of it’s own.
This is THE BEST Irish Soda Bread recipe I’ve ever tasted and it originated from my girlfriend Tracey. We first met back in 1992 where she was a Pastry Chef and I was the Asst. Food Service Director at Matsushita (a.k.a. Panasonic).
We served well over 2000 people a day and on every holiday, we would hold a bake sale for our customers to take home baked goods, pies, cakes and breads.
To this day, over 20 years later, we still laugh at how many loaves of bread she would make for St. Patrick’s Day and all of the flour (and mess of the kitchen!) it took to produce such a large quantity.
Anyway, I’m happy to report we both no longer work in the food service industry (and haven’t for many, many years), but her recipe for Irish Soda Bread lives on every year in my home.
I’ve never tasted a recipe for Irish Soda Bread that was so moist and fresh so if you’re going to try to make it yourselves this year, I suggest trying this one.
How do you make Irish Soda Bread?
For this recipe, you’ll need all purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt, raisins, butter, buttermilk and cooking spray. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl using only 6 cups of the flour.
Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or criss cross with two butter knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the raisins and buttermilk; then mix with your hands until well incorporated and turn onto a lightly floured board; gradually using the remaining 1 cup of flour as needed. Kneed 10-12 times.
The dough shouldn’t be too sticky. If it is, gradually add a little more flour as needed. Split into 2 round loaves and cut a deep X into the top. Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place the two loaves on the pan.
Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until when you stick a knife in the center of the loaf of bread, it comes out clean.
My family doesn’t like caraway seeds, but feel free to add some in if you like. Also, don’t be afraid to get in there with your (clean!) hands to mix the dough.
A spoon just isn’t going to work. Our favorite way to eat it is to cut off a slice and pop it in the toaster and add a little butter or preserves. Ok, I’m officially drooling and heading into the kitchen to make several batches for this years celebration. ~Enjoy!
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Ingredients
- 7 c. All-Purpose Flour, divided
- 1/2 c. Granulated Sugar
- 2 tsp. Baking Soda
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 c. Raisins
- 8 tbsp. Salted Butter, softened
- 2 1/2 c. Buttermilk
- Cooking Spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Sift dry ingredients using only 6 cups of the flour.
- Cut in the butter with a pastry blender (or two butter knives) until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Add the raisins and buttermilk; then mix with your hands until well incorporated and turn onto a lightly floured board; gradually using the remaining 1 cup of flour as needed.
- Kneed 10-12 times. (The dough shouldn't be too sticky. If it is, gradually add a little more flour as needed).
- Split into 2 round loaves and cut a deep X into the top.
- Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place the two loaves.
- Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until when you stick a knife in the center of the loaf of bread, it comes out clean.
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I’ve been looking for an Irish Soda Bread recipe similar to one that I had while I was in college. I worked part time and a coworker’s Mom sent him tons of them. I never got the recipe (I totally regret that) and I’ve never tasted one that was the same. It was baked in a coffee can too.
I can’t wait to try yours.
Annamaria
We love this recipe, it’s really moist. I like it best toasted with a little whipped butter. I hope you like the recipe, thanks for stopping by!