Irish Soda Bread
This easy recipe for traditional Irish Soda Bread combines simple ingredients like flour, buttermilk, and currants. The dough is quickly mixed, lightly kneaded into a round loaf, scored with an 'X', and then baked until golden. Perfect for breakfast or as a side, it offers a tender crumb and a hint of orange zest, ideal for serving warm with butter.
Equipment
- 1 Electric Mixer with Paddle Attachment
- 1 Sheet Pan
- 1 Parchment Paper
- 1 Liquid Measuring Cup
- 1 Serrated Knife
Ingredients
Main
- 4 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for currants
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons 1/2 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk shaken
- 1 extra-large egg lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1 cup dried currants
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.
- With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.
- Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.
- Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Irish Soda Bread is a quick bread, meaning its leavening comes from baking soda reacting with buttermilk. Avoid overmixing the dough, particularly after adding the wet ingredients, as this can develop gluten and result in a tough, dense loaf rather than a tender crumb. The cold butter helps create pockets of steam for a lighter texture. The X-cut on top is traditional and helps the loaf bake evenly and prevent cracking. For an enriched crust, you can brush the top with a little extra buttermilk or an egg wash before baking. Serve warm with good quality butter and jam for the best experience.