Description
This Irish Soda Bread is a rustic, no-knead bread that’s quick and easy to make in under an hour. It’s tastes delicious slathered with a thick layer of salted butter, jam, or marmalade. My family loves to serve this dense, yet tender bread with soups and stews.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
- 1/4 cup orange juice (about 2 navel oranges)
- 4 cups (500g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 large egg (optional)
- 1 3/4 cups (420 ml) buttermilk
Instructions
- Place the raisins in a bowl and add the fresh orange zest and orange juice. Set aside for 30 to 60 minutes to allow the raisins to soak up the orange juice and become plump.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can grease a 9-inch cake pan or a 10-inch cast iron skillet. (I use the Nordicware Naturals 9″ Round Aluminum Cake Pan).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the cold butter and use a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers to cut the butter until it looks like pea-sized crumbs.
- Drain any excess orange juice from the raisins, then stir the soaked raisins into the flour mixture.
- In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the egg (if using) and buttermilk. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the dry ingredients and gently fold the dough until just combined.
- Use your hand or a rubber spatula to gently knead the dough into a ball 3 or 4 times inside the bowl. The dough will be quite sticky. Alternatively, you can sprinkle a little flour on a clean board or kitchen counter and knead the dough a few times to form it into a ball. Avoid overmixing the dough. It’s okay if the ball is not perfectly smooth and it looks a little rustic. You just want to make sure there are no dry spots of flour remaining.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared pan or skillet. Use a very sharp, wet knife to score the dough with a deep X across the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 200°F in the center of the bread. It should have a deep golden-brown crust and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. If the bread is browning too quickly before it finishes cooking in the center, you can loosely tent the bread with aluminum foil.
- Remove the bread from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve warm, at room temperature, or toasted with your choice of toppings. I like butter and honey. Jam or marmalade is also delicious.
Notes
- Leftovers will keep for up to 2 or 3 days. Let the bread cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or store in an airtight container at room temperature. It tastes best within the first 24 hours.
- Buttermilk: This is a key ingredient because it reacts with the baking soda to help the bread rise without yeast. Using real buttermilk gives the bread the best flavor, but if you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a homemade version. In a large measuring cup, add 2 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar or lemon juice. Add enough cold milk (whole milk or 2% works best) until you reach the 1¾ cup line on the measuring cup. Whisk together and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before using.
- Egg: This is an optional ingredient. Using an egg adds richness and structure to the bread. If you want a lighter bread, leave out the egg. I actually prefer Irish Soda Bread WITHOUT an egg.
- Raisins: You can substitute with dried cranberries or currants if you prefer.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate based on 12 servings.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Irish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 249
- Sugar: 13.5g
- Sodium: 267mg
- Fat: 3.7g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 1.6g
- Protein: 6.2g
- Cholesterol: 22mg