Easy Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Traditional Saint Patrick’s Day Recipe

You don’t have to be Irish to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. I typically make corned beef and cabbage, Mulligan Stew, or Shepherd’s Pie to celebrate the holiday with the kids in my care. Although the children would be satisfied with just eating a green bagel on the holiday, I want to do something a little more traditionally Irish.

Soda bread is a soft textured cake like bread that rises due to the reaction of the acid of  buttermilk and baking soda. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, simply add vinegar to milk to create the necessary ingredient for the recipe. Although the Irish didn’t invent soda bread they are often identified with the yummy treat. I found this recipe in my employer’s recipe box. The three kids and I quickly devoured the Irish Soda Bread it in one sitting.

You Will Need:

3 tablespoons softened butter or margarine
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup raisins or currants
3/4 cup buttermilk or milk combined with 1 tablespoon of vinegar
A dusting of confectioners sugar

What to Do:

1. Heat oven to 375ºF.
2. Grease cookie sheet.
3. Cut butter into flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl, using pastry blender or crisscrossing two knives, until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
4. Stir in raisins and just enough buttermilk so dough leaves side of bowl.
5. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead one to two minutes or until smooth. Shape into round loaf.
6. Place on cookie sheet. Cut an X shape about 1/2 inch deep through loaf with floured knife.
7. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Once cooled, sprinkle confectioners sugar through a sifter over the bread.

Reference: Stephanie Felzenberg who works as a nanny and is the Editor of Be the Best Nanny Newsletter made the recipe and took photos of the yummy bread. The recipe is from her employer’s recipe box.