Easy Irish Soda Bread

OK - have you got your St. Patrick's Day meal ready?  Do you need a delicious and easy Irish Soda Bread?  This is the one!!  It's moist, richly sweet and so easy, you'll want to eat it all year long.

 4 cups all purpose flour
4 Tbsp white sugar
1 teas baking soda
1 Tbsp baking power
1/2 teas salt
1 teas orange peel
1/2 cup margarine, softened
2 cups Craisins (or raisins)
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg

1/4 cup butter softened
1/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  I like to cook my bread in a cast iron pan, so I put the pan in the oven to preheat.  But you can also cook your bread on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or lightly greased, (if your in a pinch).

 In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and orange peel.  Stir lightly to combine.

Add 1/2 cup softened margarine.  (Sometimes I will use butter to give my bread an extra rich creamy flavor.)   Stir until combined.  Remember the key is not to over handle the dough or it will be tough.

 Add the 2 cups of Craisins, (or raisins), and stir in gently.

 Next to the 1 cup of buttermilk, add 1 egg and mix till incorporated.  Add to the flour mixture and stir in.  Once your dough has come together, (it will be rather wet), turn out unto your lightly floured surface and shaped into a round flat loaf.  Remember - don't over handle the dough or the bread will have a tough texture.

 Place the loaf in your baking pan.  Brush the top with a mixture of 1/4 cup melted butter and 1/4 cup buttermilk.  Cut an X in the top of the loaf, (this will help the inside of the loaf to cook evenly).  Cook for 40-60 minutes - depending on what type of baking pan you use.  When I use my pre-heated cast iron pan, it only takes 40 minutes.  If I use a cookie sheet it can take 45-60 minutes.  I always test the temperature of my bread for 200 degrees for doneness.

 OH, I wish you could smell how wonderful this is.  It comes out so nicely browned.  I place it on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes, then remove from the pan.

YUMMY - a nice slice of bread and some butter.  This is so good and so easy to make.  And it was so inexpensive.  I noticed that the loafs in the store were rock hard and selling for $5 a loaf.  I made a loaf twice the size for only a couple of dollars.


You give this a try - and let me know how yours turned out.


This will go so well with our corned beef, cabbage, carrots and potatoes.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.