My Irish Soda Bread recipe has won many blue ribbons for a reason, it's beyond delicious. A sweeter version of traditional Irish soda bread because it has raisins and sugar.
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- This one-bowl bread is easy and tasty, no yeast is needed, and the results are incredibly delicious Irish bread.
- This soda bread has won numerous blue ribbons at baking contests.
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- white sugar
- salt
- unsalted butter
- buttermilk
- sour cream
- egg
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Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Measuring Spoons and Cups
- Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
- Wooden Spoon
- Whisk
- Cooling Racks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Spray a 9-inch cast iron skillet or glass pie pan with non-stick baking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Add softened unsalted butter. Blend with your hands until the mixture is a coarse crumble and there are no large clumps of butter. Make a well in the center of the ingredients.
- Add in the egg and whisk to break up the egg, the color will be light yellow. Mix in 1 cup of low-fat buttermilk, sour cream, and raisins.
- Use a wooden spoon to gently fold together the ingredients. If the mixture appears to dry, add a little more buttermilk.
- Place dough into the prepared pan. Use a serrated knife or a very sharp knife to make a deep cross in the center of the dough. Sprinkle the teaspoon of remaining flour over the top of the dough.
- Bake in the preheated oven on the center rack in the center of the oven for about 65 minutes. Check if the bread is done by putting a toothpick through the center of the bread. A toothpick should come out clean. If the toothpick is not coming out clean, leave bread in the oven for additional 5-minute intervals. Check for doneness after every 5 minutes.
- The bread will be golden brown and the toothpick should come out clean when done baking.
- Let the bread cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
- Enjoy the bread plain, with a bit of butter, jelly, or marmalade.
Storage
To keep the bread fresh, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or store it in a large sealable bag for up to 4 days.
This bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap then store in a freezer-safe bag.
The bread can be sliced up and then frozen. Then take out as many slices as needed to defrost.
Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Expert Tips
- Be sure to use room-temperature unsalted butter for best results.
- For best results, I use unsalted Kerry Gold Irish butter.
- Let the bread cool completely before slicing.
- Check if the bread is done by putting a toothpick through the center of bread. Toothpick should come out clean. If the toothpick is not coming out clean, leave bread in the oven for additional 5-minute intervals. Check for doneness after every 5 minutes.
- A cake tester can be used instead of a toothpick for the doneness of the quick bread.
Variations
- During the holidays, I used dried cranberries instead of raisins.
- If using dried cranberries for the holidays, a little orange zest can be added for a zing of flavor to the bread.
- Many add caraway seeds to the bread, about 1 Tablespoon.
Serving Suggestions
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage must have a slice of this bread or our very popular Irish Brown Bread.
Irish Beef Stew is hearty and full of flavor from beef and veggies.
Bangers and Mash is a great dinner of sausages in a Guinness brown gravy served over potatoes. A side of this easy soda bread would be delicious
Cottage Pie is a hearty casserole and a slice of bread would be a great addition.
Try our Grasshopper Pie for a delicious dessert table to serve along with this great Irish soda bread recipe.
Looking for a great array of Irish recipes, check out our St. Patrick's Day recipe collection.
My kids loved this Shamrock Shake growing up. I still make it for them and it is still a favorite.
For a tasty cookie, try our Chocolate Mint Cookies with Mint Frosting! The family loves these cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many baking ingredients were not easy to come by in Ireland. In the 1800s, baking soda was introduced to Ireland.
Traditional soda bread had only a few ingredients including soured milk - we use buttermilk and baking soda.
The baking soda is a leavening agent for the bread.
Our bread is a bit different than traditional Irish soda bread. It has sugar, raisins, and sour cream making our bread a bit sweeter and moist.
It's been told that the cross in the Irish Soda Bread wards off evil.
My Granny always said that the Cross is blessing all who eat the bread.
To substitute buttermilk, for every cup of buttermilk use 1 cup of milk of choice and 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar.
Whisk together and let it sit on the counter for about 5-10 minutes before adding to your recipe.
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Thank you for your continued support. I am forever grateful.
Eileen xo
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
I love any comments or questions, please feel free to leave them below!
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📖 Recipe
Blue Ribbon Irish Soda Bread Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases
Equipment Needed:
- As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Ingredients
- 4 cups + 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour (1 teaspoon for dusting top of the loaf before baking)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 to 1 ½ cups low-fat buttermilk start with 1 cup buttermilk. Add a little more if needed.
- 1 cup low-fat sour cream
- ½ to ¾ cup raisins love raisins add ¾ cup
- non-stick baking spray
Save the Recipe?
Enter your email below and we'll send the recipe straight to your inbox to view anytime. Plus the bonus of regular recipes to you for inspiration!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch cast iron skillet or glass pie pan with non-stick baking spray, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Add the butter to the flour mixture. Blend with your hands until the mixture is a coarse crumble and there are no large clumps of butter. Make a well in the center of the ingredients.
- Into the hole, add the egg, use a spoon or whisk to break it up slightly. Note 1 Mix in 1 cup of low-fat buttermilk, low-fat sour cream.
- Use a wooden spoon to gently fold the batter once stirring in the raisins. Add a little more buttermilk if the dough seems too dry.
- Place dough into the prepared pan. Use a serrated knife to make a cross in the center of the dough. Sprinkle the 1 teaspoon of remaining flour over the top of dough.
- Bake in the preheated oven on the center rack in center of the oven for about 60 minutes. Check if the bread is done by putting a toothpick through the center of bread. The toothpick should come out clean. If the toothpick is not coming out clean, leave bread in the oven for additional 5-minute intervals. Check for doneness after every 5 minutes.
- Let the bread cool on a wire rack at least 20 minutes before slicing.
- Enjoy the bread plain, with a bit of butter, jelly, or marmalade.
NOTES
- Make a well in the center of dry ingredients because that is how my Nana taught me.
- Start with 1 cup of buttermilk. If the mixture is too dry, add a little more.
- Use a wooden spoon to stir, again that is how my Granny taught me.
