Irish Soda Bread With Raisins

Irish soda bread may be most popular around St. Patrick’s Day—at least in the US—but it’s equally delicious every other day of the year. A traditional loaf contains just four ingredients: white flour, buttermilk, baking soda, and salt, though modern versions often get a few extras like butter, sugar, caraway seeds, lemon or orange zest, and dried fruit. Brown soda bread (called wheaten bread in Ireland) incorporates whole wheat flour and toasted wheat germ. Unlike yeast breads, soda bread is leavened by the reaction of baking soda and buttermilk—which means it’s ready to bake right after mixing, no waiting around for the dough to rise.

This version bakes into a lightly sweetened round loaf resembling a giant scone, with a burnished crust and tender, fluffy crumb. Plump raisins add pops of concentrated sweetness, but you could swap them out for any dried fruit, such as currants, sour cherries, or cranberries—or simply leave them out. No cast-iron pan? Form the dough into a round and bake it on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. If desired, use a sharp knife to score the top of the dough with a cross shape (about ½" deep) after sprinkling with sugar.

The success of this Irish soda bread recipe relies on a few key tips. First, make sure to fully whisk—or even better, sift—your flour mixture together. If the leavening clumps, it won’t be able to do its job. Second, fight any instinct you have to knead this dough, which could make the bread tough. Finally, spread baked slices with plenty of room-temperature Irish butter and enjoy with a nice cup of tea.

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