Irish soda bread and it’s many variants use sodium bicarbonate instead of yeast as a leavening agent. This means you get a quick bread without all of the rising times. Yes, your bread will be a bit denser than a fluffy yeast-based bread but it’s still delicious and so fast! You could make a totally plain version of this bread but I added dried cranberries, orange zest, golden raisins and toasted pecans. Great aroma and depth of flavor and perfect in the morning warmed up with a bit of butter.
Irish Soda Bread
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
60 mins
Total Time
80 mins
Servings
10
Course
Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine
Irish
Calories: 180 kcal
A delicious yeast free bread filled with dried fruit and cranberries.
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
For the Bread:
- 1 ¾ cup buttermilk cold
- 1 egg
- Zest from 1 orange.
- 4 cups flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons butter cold, diced
- ½ cup chopped pecans toasted
- ½ cup cranberries dried
- ½ cup golden raisins
Instructions
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Bread:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, combine cold buttermilk, 1 egg and zest from 1 orange. Give it quick whisk.
- In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix together.
- Add in diced butter. Mix for about 1 minute or until the butter has incorporated.
- Pour in the buttermilk mixture on low. Mix until just combined.
In a bowl, toss the raisins and cranberries with bit of flour to coat.
- Add in pecans, raisins and cranberries. Stir for 5 seconds.
- Plop the very wet batter onto a floured surface. Give it a light kneading.
Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Score an ‘X’ on the surface.
Bake for about 45 min to 60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
This bread was fantastic! I loved the golden raisins!
Really yummy! A classic!
This was the best Irish Soda Bread I ever tired. We had a party and every guest was so complimentary of this bread. That will certainly my go to recipe.
I’m so happy you liked it! Thanks for sharing!