Irish Soda Bread

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with this quick and easy traditional Irish Soda Bread. Baked in a cast iron skillet, 

the outside gets a golden crispy crust, while the inside stays tender!

I've got a list sitting on my desk of recipes that I want to make. Not recipes that I've developed, or even thought up, but traditional recipes that have been around for years, but I have never made. On the top of that list is Stollen Bread, followed very closely by Irish Soda Bread. Since St. Patrick's Day is just a few days away, I decided to try my hand at making the Irish Soda Bread. {Don't worry, Stollen Bread is next!

This bread is so delicious and so easy to make. My whole family loved it, and I ended up sharing half the loaf with my parents because they liked it so much! Irish Soda Bread is traditionally round in shape, but instead of baking it on a sheet, I used a cast iron skillet. The outside gets brown and crispy while the inside stays soft and tender. It's just perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. 

Now, let's get in the St. Patrick's Day spirit and make some Irish Soda Bread!

Irish Soda Bread
Author: Sarah Bates | The Chef Next Door
Serves 12
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Ingredients: 
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
2 cups raisins
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 12-inch cast iron skillet and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the cubes of butter and use a pastry blender to cut the butter in until course crumbs form. Stir in the raisins. Whisk the buttermilk and egg in a glass measuring cup. Add the mixture to the dough and stir until well incorporated. {The dough will be sticky, but that's OK!} 

Transfer the dough to the prepared skillet and smooth it out evenly. Use a small sharp knife to cut an X in the center of dough. Bake until the bread is cooked through and the top is a golden bread, about 75 to 90 minutes. Cool the bread in the skillet for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Cut into slices or wedges and serve.

Bon Appétit!

Do you have a favorite food that you've been wanting to make at home? Share with me in the comments below!