Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread is a "quick" bread, that is it uses baking soda or baking powder for leavening instead of yeast (which takes much longer). Because the leavening agent in this case needs to neutralize the sour buttermilk, baking soda is used instead of baking powder. I have based this recipe on one from Mel London, Bread Winners, Rodale Press, 1979.

Ingredients

Preheat oven to 375°. Combine buttermilk, eggs, and soda. Stir vigorously. Combine flour, raisins, honey, caraway, baking powder, and salt. Pour buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and stir well. Divide batter into two. Place in 2 buttered and floured loaf pans. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, until cake tester comes clean. Cool 15 minutes in pan. This freezes very well when completely cool.
Back to Ruth's Kitchen