Irish Soda Bread

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.

1. 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. 
2. Pour in the buttermilk mixture on low. Mix until just combined. 
3. In a bowl, toss the raisins and cranberries with bit of flour to coat. 
4. Add in pecans, raisins and cranberries. Stir for 5 seconds.
5. Plop the very wet batter onto a floured surface. Give it a light kneading. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
6. Score an ‘X’ on the surface. Bake for about 45 min to 60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

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Irish Soda Bread

A delicious yeast free bread filled with dried fruit and cranberries.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Irish

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings 10

Calories 180 kcal

Author John K.

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:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a small bowl, combine cold buttermilk, 1 egg and zest from 1 orange. Give it quick whisk.

3. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix together.

4. Add in diced butter. Mix for about 1 minute or until the butter has incorporated.

5. Pour in the buttermilk mixture on low. Mix until just combined.

6. In a bowl, toss the raisins and cranberries with bit of flour to coat.

7. Add in pecans, raisins and cranberries. Stir for 5 seconds.

8. Plop the very wet batter onto a floured surface. Give it a light kneading.

9. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

10. Score an ‘X’ on the surface.

11. Bake for about 45 min to 60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Nutrition Facts

Irish Soda Bread

Amount Per Serving

Calories 180

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.