Irish Soda Bread
Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook
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Each St. Patrick's day, I bake this bread for my neighbor, who is Irish. Then I make another loaf for my family to enjoy. Sweet raisins contrast nicely with the caraway.
SERVINGS: 16
CATEGORY: Breads
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 80 min. + cooling
Ingredients:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons cold butter or margarine
- 1-1/2 cups raisins
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1-1/2 cups buttermilk
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the raisins and caraway seeds. Set aside 1 tablespoon beaten egg. In a bowl, combine buttermilk and remaining eggs; stir into crumb mixture just until flour is moistened (dough will be sticky). Turn onto a well-floured surface; knead about 10 times. Shape into a ball.
Place in a greased 9-in. round baking pan. Cut a 4-in. X, 1/4-in. deep, in the center of the ball. Brush the top with reserved egg. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil during the last 20 minutes if top browns too quickly. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 1 loaf.