Irish Soda Bread

Recipe by Lisa Zerdes, Weavers Way Member and Professional Pastry Chef

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 tbsp. for the raisins
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 6 tbsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1-½ tsp. salt
  • 4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch dice
  • 1-¾ cup cold buttermilk, shaken (If you don’t have buttermilk, just add 1 tbsp. lemon juice or white vinegar for each 1 cup of milk. For this recipe, add 1-½ tbsp. of the acid to 1-¾ cups of milk)
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 tbsp. grated orange zest (from 1 large orange)
  • 1 cup dark raisins or currants
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  2. Combine flours, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.
  3. With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the raisins or currants with 1 tbsp. of flour and mix into the dough. The dough will be very wet.
  4. Pour the dough onto a well-floured counter and knead it a few times into a round loaf. If there are any raisins on the counter, just press them back into the dough.
  5. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Enjoy!