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dan's favorite irish soda bread

(26 ratings)
cookinginillinois avatar
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Rose Mary Mogan
@cookinginillinois
Sauk Village, IL

This is the Irish soda bread that my husband Dan loves throughout the year. I make it quite often, not just on Saint Patrick's Day. I have made other Irish soda bread recipes, but this is the one he requests most often. I had to add his name to the recipe so I could distinguish it from the other recipes. The neighbors love it too, they will usually ask if I have enough to share with them, and of course, I am always happy to oblige.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Rose Mary's Irish soda bread is REALLY tasty. Perfect with a big smear of butter and a steaming cup of morning coffee. Rehydrating the raisins adds pops of sweetness to every bite. Caraway seeds have a unique flavor to them and you either love them or don't. We added about half the suggested seeds and they added the perfect amount of seasoning without overpowering the flavor of the bread. Perfect for St. Patrick's Day!

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(26 ratings)
yield 10 -12
prep time 45 Min
cook time 50 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For dan's favorite irish soda bread

  • 2 c
    whole wheat flour
  • 3 c
    all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 c
    sugar
  • 1 tsp
    baking powder
  • 1 tsp
    baking soda
  • 1 tsp
    salt
  • 1/2 c
    cold butter, cut into pieces
  • 2 lg
    eggs, beaten (room temperature)
  • 1 1/2 c
    buttermik
  • 15 oz
    box raisins
  • 1 lg
    egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
  • 3 Tbsp
    caraway seeds (optional)
  • 1 1/2 c
    extra flour, for dusting
  • 4 oz
    extra butter, for serving

How To Make dan's favorite irish soda bread

  • Oven set to preheat to 350 degrees.
    1
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Rehydrating raisins in water.
    2
    Pour raisins into a medium-size bowl. Cover with water, and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Remove from microwave and set aside to cool. Then drain completely. Leave till ready to use.
  • Parchment paper and cooking spray on a jelly roll.
    3
    Lightly spray a jelly roll size pan, baking sheet, or 2 cast iron skillets with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • Flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in bowl.
    4
    Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a large bowl.
  • Flour mixture poured into processor.
    5
    Then pour into a food processor that has been fitted with a metal blade. Secure the lid of processor.
  • Cold butter, buttermilk, and eggs mixed into flour.
    6
    Add the cold butter and pulse 8 to 12 times or until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the two beaten eggs and buttermilk, and process until dough comes together about a minute or two. NOTE: I LIKE TO COMBINE BOTH THE BEATEN EGGS AND BUTTERMILK IN ONE LARGE MEASURING CUP, AND THEN POUR IT INTO A FOOD PROCESSOR.
  • Incorporating additional flour.
    7
    Dust work surface with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour; turn out the dough onto work surface.
  • Kneading in raisins and caraway seeds.
    8
    Add the plump raisins and optional caraway seeds if using. Knead with floured hands till raisins are incorporated into the dough. Then divide the dough into two equal portions, and shape it into two round loaves of bread.
  • Dough formed into two loaves and an x sliced on top.
    9
    Transfer to prepared baking pan or skillet. Brush loaves with egg wash, till covered completely. Then with a serrated knife cut an X on top of each loaf.
  • Irish soda bread baking in the oven.
    10
    Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. The bread should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom with a knife. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Slice and serve warm with additional butter.
  • Inside Dan's Favorite Irish Soda Bread.
    11
    Makes 2 loaves. Just a word of caution if you do not have a large capacity food processor, you may want to make half the recipe at a time, or finish in a mixer with a dough hook. NOTE: Wendy Whipple Rusch likes to use a 9X5 size Loaf Pan for one of the loaves. It's Like Irish Raisin Soda Bread. An electric knife works really well for slicing. Plumping the raisins adds moisture to the bread.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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