Irish Soda Bread Recipe

When baking soda made its way to Ireland in the 1800’s, the Irish began making their now-famous Soda Bread. With a crusty exterior and a soft, light interior, Soda Bread gets its rise from the reaction between the baking soda and buttermilk. Ryan Van Voorhis with Nude Dude Food shows you how to make this quick, easy and delicious compliment to any Irish dish.

Items Needed

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 cups AP flour (PROTIP: Store flour in an airtight Cambro container to preserve freshness)
  • 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 and 3/4 cups buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 5 Tbsp unsalted cold/cubed butter
  • Optional: 1 cup golden raisins

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Whisk together egg and buttermilk and set aside.
  3. Add baking soda, salt, sugar, and flour to a large bowl.
  4. Add cold butter and mix well with fork or hands.
  5. Incorporate wet ingredients into dry ingredients until combined. Be careful not to overwork the dough, it should be a little “shaggy.”
  6. Mix in raisins.
  7. Flour a clean work surface and shape dough into a small mound.
  8. Place the dough inside a cast-iron pan or on top of a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  9. Use a knife to score an “X” on top of the dough to ensure it bakes all the way through.
  10. Bake in 400°F oven for 40 minutes.
  11. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
  12. Serve with Irish Kerrygold butter and enjoy!