Blue Ribbon Irish Soda Bread Recipe

A round bread with raisins, sliced on a cutting board.

4.88 from 24 votes

Blue Ribbon Irish Soda Bread Recipe

A family recipe that we make every week! This is a multiple blue ribbon baking contest winner, perfect for a breakfast bread. Great for any time of year. Of course, perfect for Saint Patrick’s Day with your Irish breakfast, corned beef, or Guinness stew!

Course Bread, Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine Irish

Keyword Irish soda bread, Soda bread recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

cool down time 20

Total Time 1 30

Servings slices

Calories 211kcal

Author Eileen Kelly

Equipment

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon kosher 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 or butter

Topping for the Irish Soda Bread

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F/ 177°C. Spray a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or glass pie pan with non-stick baking spray or butter, set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk 4 cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon baking soda.
Add 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to the flour mixture. Blend with your hands until the mixture is a coarse crumble with no large clumps of butter. Make a well in the center of the ingredients.
Into the hole, add 1 large egg, use a spoon or whisk to break it up slightly. (Note 1) Mix in 1 cup buttermilk and 1 cup low-fat sour cream.
Use a wooden spoon to gently mix the batter once, then stir in ½ to ¾ cup raisins. Add a little more buttermilk, up to ½ cup, if the dough seems too dry.
Place the batter into the prepared pan. Use a serrated knife to make a cross in the center of the dough. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional) over the top of the bread batter.
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

Be sure to check the Expert Tips and FAQs above for important tips and questions that can help make a delicious recipe.

Note 1: Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients because that is how my Granny taught me. So that is how I always make mine.

Start with 1 cup of buttermilk. If the mixture is too dry, add up to ½ cup.
Use a wooden spoon to stir, again, that is how my Granny taught me.

Storage: Bread can be wrapped in plastic wrap. It never lasts beyond 2 days in my home. Also, bread can be made ahead and frozen. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag. Defrost in the refrigerator.

I’m not a registered dietician, but I do my best to provide the most accurate nutritional values. Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation. Actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and portion sizes.

Don’t forget to shop at the Everyday Eileen store on Amazon.

Nutrition