Irish Soda Bread With Raisins (2024)

Irish soda bread may be most popular aroundSt. Patrick’s Day—at least in the US—but it’s equally delicious every other day of the year. A traditional loaf contains just four ingredients: white flour,buttermilk,baking soda, and salt, though modern versions often get a few extras like butter, sugar,caraway seeds, lemon ororange zest, and dried fruit.Brown soda bread (called wheaten bread in Ireland) incorporateswhole wheat flour and toasted wheat germ. Unlike yeast breads, soda bread is leavened by the reaction ofbaking soda andbuttermilk—which means it’s ready to bake right after mixing, no waiting around for the dough to rise.

This version bakes into a lightly sweetenedround loaf resembling a giant scone, with a burnished crust and tender, fluffy crumb. Plump raisins add pops of concentrated sweetness, but you could swap them out for any dried fruit, such ascurrants, sour cherries, or cranberries—or simply leave them out. Nocast-iron pan? Form the dough into a round and bake it on aparchment-paper-linedbaking sheet. If desired, use asharp knife to score the top of the dough with a cross shape (about ½" deep) after sprinkling with sugar.

The success of thisIrish soda bread recipe relies on a few key tips. First, make sure to fully whisk—or even better, sift—yourflour mixture together. If theleavening clumps, it won’t be able to do its job. Second, fight any instinct you have to knead this dough, which could make the bread tough. Finally, spread baked slices with plenty of room-temperatureIrish butter and enjoy with a nice cup of tea.

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