Tried and tested easy to prepare Irish Soda Bread flavored with caraway seeds, orange zest, and raisins. Delicious served with corned beef and cabbage.
Irish Soda Bread is a delicious quick bread that is very easy to prepare. I loved it the first time I ever tasted it was at my friend’s home. My friend is of Irish descent and she makes wonderful quick breads with spelt flour. Like all expert homemakers, she makes it with the touch of the fingers and the measure of the mind. There is no exact recipe or measurement but it comes out perfect each time.
St. Patrick’s Day
On St. Patrick’s Day, we are all Irish. Each year I prepare Corn Beef and Cabbage because the family enjoys it. I also make Irish Soda Bread from a recipe in a cookbook my boys gave me for my birthday some years back. The bread comes out perfect each time. It is moist and delicious and the aroma from the baked bread is just amazing! I like to eat it warm with butter and a cup of tea.
This Irish Soda Bread recipe was adapted from the cookbook Celebration Breads by Betsy Oppenneer.
Tools Used in Making This Irish Soda Bread
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• Stainless Steel Pastry Blender with Wood Handle, 6 Blades
• Pyrex Prepware 1-Cup Measuring Cup
Tried and tested easy to prepare Irish Soda Bread flavored with caraway seeds, orange zest, and raisins. Delicious served with corned beef and cabbage.
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (300g)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp grated orange zest
- 4 tbsp butter (56g)
- ½ cup raisins (80g)
- 1 cup low fat buttermilk (240ml)
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Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
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In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, caraway seeds, sugar, and orange zest until well combined. Cut in butter with pastry blender or using 2 knives until dry ingredients resemble coarse breadcrumbs.
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Stir in raisins.
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Add buttermilk and stir to mix. Gently knead several times until dough forms.
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Place dough on a parchment lined baking sheet and pat to form a 6 inch circle. Dust loaf with flour. Cut a cross on the top of the loaf about ½ inch deep.
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Bake for approximately 35 minutes. When you tap the loaf, it should have a hollow sound.
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Remove and cool on a rack.
Irish Breakfast Tea
Irish breakfast tea is a blend of several black teas, mainly Assam. It is full bodied and has a nice, rich amber color. To brew this tea, please check my post on Brewing the Perfect Cup of Black Tea.
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Corn Beef and Cabbage always remind me of the old comic strip Bringing Up Father with Jiggs and Maggie. Jiggs was an Irishman who became rich in the United States but still maintained his old ways. He loved eating corned beef and cabbage, much to the consternation of his wife, Maggie who was a social climber out to impress. It was a fun syndicated strip to read.
I am submitting this to the Paddy’s Day Food Parade over at The Daily Spud.
NOTE: This post was updated on March 12th, 2013 with new pictures. Minor changes were made to the write-up but the recipe remains the same.
Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 😎
Bellini Valli says
March 16, 2010 at 2:26 pmHappy St. Paddy's Day:D
Cinnamon-Girl says
March 16, 2010 at 3:08 pmWhat a delicious feast for St. Paddy's Day! Your soda bread is perfect with a cup of tea. What a treat.
shahana says
March 16, 2010 at 3:13 pmPerfect for St.Patrick's day celebration!!
Biren says
March 16, 2010 at 3:21 pmBellini Valli – Thanks for visiting and Happy St Paddy's Day to you too!
Cinnamon Girl – Thanks! It is delicious with tea 🙂
Daily Spud says
March 16, 2010 at 3:30 pmGorgeous! And perfect for celebrating that most Irish of holidays, too.
Biren says
March 16, 2010 at 3:59 pmShahana – A Happy St. Patrick's Day to you as well 🙂
Daily Spud – Thanks for visiting and Happy St. Paddy's Day!
Cristina @ TeenieCakes says
March 16, 2010 at 5:15 pmHappy St. Patrick's Day to you!
That's a beautiful looking Soda Bread. =)
5 Star Foodie says
March 16, 2010 at 6:06 pmYour Irish soda bread looks perfectly delicious! Happy St. Patrick's Day!
denise @ quickies on the dinner table says
March 16, 2010 at 7:48 pmThat looks like a great, big, scone and I think you know how mad I am for them – so I would of course, LOVE this! The texture look fantatic and I think I would be interesting to have fruit studded soda bread with a savoury dish like corned beef and cabbage.
Btw, I've given you an award because I love your blog and recipes and I REALLY hope you accept it LOL Here's the link – hope you check it out!
http://quickiesonthedinnertable.yolasite.com/recipes/my-first-award-yay-
MaryMoh says
March 16, 2010 at 8:25 pmEverything looks very delicious!
Gulmohar says
March 16, 2010 at 9:58 pmHappy St. Patrick's day !!! got to try this soda bread sometimes and the tea looks so inviting 🙂
Biren says
March 17, 2010 at 12:29 amChristina@Teenie Cakes – Thanks for visitig and a very Happy St. patrick's Day to you as well!
5 Star Foodie – Thank you! Happy St. Patrick's Day to you too!
MaryMoh – Thanks very much! Happy St.Patrick's Day!
Gulmohar – Happy St. Patrick's Day to you too! I hope you will try the soda bread 🙂
Biren says
March 17, 2010 at 12:43 amdenise@quickies on the dinner table – Gee…… Denise, I am speechless and excited all at the same time!!! You are awesome!
I am HONORED to accept. Thank you so much for your vote of confidence and your constant support and encouragement.
Supriya Nair says
March 17, 2010 at 10:06 amAmazing recipes here you have dear…love the clicks…and I am in luv with your china and cutlery…they add a special something to your clicks and I love the clicks
The Cooking Ninja says
March 17, 2010 at 2:56 pmI love the look of this bread. I'm going to try it out tonite. 🙂 Thanks for sharing the recipe with us.
Stella says
March 17, 2010 at 4:35 pmOoh, this is the first soda bread post I've seen that really makes me want some-with a cup of tea that is!
Biren says
March 17, 2010 at 5:02 pmSupriya Nair – Thanks for your compliments and for visiting. I hope you return often.
The Cooking Ninja – You won't be disappointed. I am really pleased with it 🙂
Stella – Thanks for visiting. I hope you enjoyed your visit and will return often 🙂
mangocheeks says
March 17, 2010 at 6:03 pmBiren,
I made my first ever soda bread last year (and it contained bananas too) and can vouch at its simplicity to make. I'll be making it again, soon in fact now that you've tempted me again.
Warm wishes.
Cookin' Canuck says
March 18, 2010 at 3:38 amPerfect with a cup of tea on St. Paddy's Day (or any other day). The buttermilk must make is so moist.
Biren says
March 18, 2010 at 1:22 pmMangocheeks – Yes, it is quick and easy to make. Can be made any time of the year as it was quite delicious with butter and of course, tea. Thanks for visiting!
Cookin' Canuck – Yes, I like it with a cup of tea. Buttermilk really does make breads very moist 🙂
Ruby says
March 17, 2012 at 4:12 pmLooks gorgeous, like an enormous scone. Wish I had seen it earlier in the day!
Biren says
March 17, 2012 at 8:30 pmIt’s really good with a cup of tea. Can be made anytime, not just for St.Patrick’s Day. 😉
Ann@Anncoo Journal says
March 17, 2012 at 8:13 pmLooks very delicious. Hope to have a slice too!
Biren says
March 17, 2012 at 8:30 pmThanks Ann! I would love to share a slice with you. 🙂
Mari @ Mari's Cakes says
March 17, 2012 at 9:10 pmI am so hungry now looking at that cabbage and corn beef! Your bread looks fabulous, I did one too yesterday for the first time, I love it more today, it tasted better 🙂 Have a wonderful week.