Best Ever Irish Soda Bread
St. Patrick's Day is coming up this week and around this time every year my husband politely hints that a homemade Irish Soda Bread would be lovely. Long a favorite of his, I've always thought it to be a little on the dry side and difficult to swallow without a large smearing of butter and/or a cup of coffee. If you feel the same, give it another try with this recipe! It came out delicious and moist, with a cakey inside and a deliciously crunchy, sugar-coated layer on the outside. My husband called it amazing and said it was the best one he's ever had. Go, me!
This is a sweeter version of the traditional soda bread, best suited to breakfast or an afternoon snack with tea. This one is also enriched with eggs and butter, not typical for a traditional recipe. But those additions are what make it so soft and less crumbly, so totally worth it in my opinion! If you leave out the currants and sugar you'll get a nice bread to eat with a stew, no yeast or kneading necessary!
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 cup sugar (plus a little bit for sprinkling on top)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cup buttermilk (or whole milk mixed with about 2 tablespoons lemon juice)
2 eggs
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
1 cup dried currants (you can use raisins, too)
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350° F and grease a 8" or 9" cake pan with butter
In a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix with a fork or whisk.
Add buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter (not too hot, or you'll cook the eggs!) and mix slightly
Add the dried currants and mix until all the dry bits are mostly incorporated. Be careful not to over mix.
Spread dough in your prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour.
Serve warm with butter! Enjoy!
