Description
Grandma's Irish Soda Bread is a traditional, quick bread made without yeast, using baking soda and buttermilk for natural leavening. This recipe yields a dense yet soft loaf with a crusty exterior, perfect to enjoy warm, toasted, or at room temperature. It includes options for raisins and an egg to enhance richness, and can be baked in various pans including a baking sheet, cast iron skillet, cake pan, or dutch oven.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups buttermilk
- 1 large egg (optional)
Dry Ingredients
- 4 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for hands and counter
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Fat
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Optional
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius). Prepare your baking pan by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, or greasing a cast iron skillet, cake pan, pie dish, or dutch oven. If using a dutch oven, bake with the lid off.
- Mix wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg if using. Set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients and cut in butter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers, cut the cold cubed butter into the flour mixture until it resembles pea-sized crumbs.
- Add optional raisins and wet ingredients. Stir in raisins if using. Pour the buttermilk and egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Gently fold the dough until it becomes too stiff to stir.
- Knead the dough. Turn the crumbly dough onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, shape into a ball and knead for about 30 seconds until all flour is moistened. Add flour if the dough is too sticky.
- Shape and score the dough. Transfer dough to the prepared pan or skillet. Using a sharp knife or bread lame, make a slash or an X about 1/2 inch deep on top of the dough.
- Bake the bread. Place the bread in the oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Tent loosely with foil if it browns too quickly. The bread is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 195 degrees Fahrenheit (90 degrees Celsius).
- Cool and serve. Remove the bread from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm, at room temperature, or toasted with desired spreads.
- Store leftovers. Keep any leftover bread tightly wrapped in aluminum foil. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- This bread does not require yeast; baking soda and buttermilk provide the leavening.
- Using cold butter and cutting it into the dry ingredients creates a crumbly texture essential for the bread’s texture.
- You can omit the egg for a more traditional soda bread texture.
- Adjust flour quantity slightly if the dough is too sticky to handle.
- Store the bread tightly wrapped to maintain freshness and prevent drying out.
- For a slightly sweet version, include raisins; otherwise, omit for plain soda bread.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10 loaf)
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
