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By Shawn Williams
5 from 1 vote
Mar 16, 2019, Updated Jan 05, 2024
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Irish bread or Irish soda bread, has been a family tradition for decades. With its distinct crumbly texture, slightly sweet taste, and unique method of leavening, Irish soda bread captures the essence of traditional Irish baking.
This Irish soda bread recipe has been in Patty’s family for years. It’s a tad sweeter than your typical Irish soda bread, making it that much more delectable and flavorful. Before I met Patty, I was never much of a fan of Irish bread. It can be overly dry and downright bland.
This recipe is not that. I like mine served slightly warm, and spread with room temp butter, it’s become something I crave and look forward to during the holidays!
Table of Contents
- How to Make Irish Bread in a Cast Iron Skillet
- You’ll Also Love
- Irish Soda Bread Recipe
How to Make Irish Bread in a Cast Iron Skillet
A cast iron skillet works best because it helps keep your Irish bread in perfect circular form. An 8-10 inch skillet works best–too large and your Irish bread will be too flat.
- Mix together sugar, baking powder, flour, and salt in a large bowl. Slice butter and work into dry ingredients with a spoon (do not melt butter). Add strained raisins and mix well. The mixture should be crumbly.
- Make a hole in the center of the mixture and add eggs and milk. Stir with a butter knife until the mixture forms a ball and leaves the sides of the bowl.
- Toss onto a well-floured surface and with floured hands, knead lightly until a soft ball is formed.
- Liberally grease the skillet with cooking spray, and place it in the center. If it doesn’t reach the edges, that’s OK, it will as it bakes in the oven.
- Make a cross on the top of the loaf and brush with milk or beaten egg for extra shininess. Sprinkle top with sugar and bake at 375°F for 10 minutes, then at 350°F for 25-30 additional minutes.
Irish bread is traditionally served with dinner, but it goes really well with Irish Coffee or Jameson’s after dinner too. My mom serves Irish bread with homemade honey whiskey butter. Which is butter mixed with honey and a small splash of Irish Whiskey.
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- Real Irish coffee
- Skillet maple bourbon cornbread
5 from 1 vote
Irish Soda Bread Recipe
By: Shawn Williams
Servings: 2 loaves
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 35 minutes mins
Total: 45 minutes mins
Save
Traditional Irish bread is a must have on Saint Patrick's Day. A slightly sweeter, and way more delicious Irish bread than you're used to.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick butter or shortening, room temp
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- Rum or Irish whiskey for soaking raisins, optional
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Soak raisins in a small bowl with a splash of rum or Irish whiskey, set aside.
Mix sugar, baking powder, flour, and salt in a large bowl. Slice butter and work into dry ingredients with a spoon (do not melt butter). Add strained raisins and mix well. The mixture should be crumbly.
Make a hole in the center of the mixture and add eggs and milk. Stir with a butter knife until the mixture forms a ball and leaves the sides of the bowl.
Toss onto a well-floured surface and with floured hands, knead lightly until a soft ball is formed.
Place in a greased 9-10 inch cast iron skillet. Make a cross on the top of the loaf and brush with milk or beaten egg for extra shininess.
Sprinkle top with sugar and bake at 375°F for 10 minutes, then at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. It's done when golden brown on the top and a toothpick comes out clean.
Serve warm with butter and a cold Guinness.
Notes
The dough can be divided into two equal loaves and alternatively baked on a greased baking sheet, baked the same way.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pieceCalories: 171kcalCarbohydrates: 30.1gProtein: 3.3gFat: 4.7gSaturated Fat: 2.7gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 137mgFiber: 0.8gSugar: 12.6g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Course: Side
Cuisine: Irish
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