Easy Irish Soda Bread with Buttermilk and Raisins
Follow this simple recipe to make a traditional, slightly sweet Irish soda bread using buttermilk. This quick bread requires no yeast and is ready fast.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Total Time: 50 min
- Yield: 1 loaf (8 servings)
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Irish
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, cold
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly flour a baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
- Stir in the raisins until they distribute evenly through the dry ingredients.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the cold buttermilk all at once.
- Mix quickly with a wooden spoon or your hands until just combined into a shaggy dough. Do not overmix.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead it 3 or 4 times to bring it together.
- Shape the dough into a round loaf, about 1.5 to 2 inches high.
- Place the loaf on the prepared baking sheet. Cut a deep cross into the top of the loaf with a sharp knife, cutting almost to the bottom.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Use cold buttermilk; this reacts better with the baking soda for proper rising.
- Do not overwork the dough; mixing too much develops gluten and results in a tough bread.
- If you prefer a less sweet bread, reduce the sugar to 2 tablespoons.
- For a crispier crust, brush the top lightly with a little extra buttermilk before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 2
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 1
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 59
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 8
- Cholesterol: 10