Irish Soda Bread with a delicious golden crust on the outside, moist and fluffy on the inside, and generously studded with plump raisins is the best quick bread loaf you’ll ever have! It’s perfect for all your St. Patrick’s celebrations but just as good all year long.
This recipe was first posted on March 18, 2016, and I am republishing it in time for your St. Patrick’s celebration. Deliciously golden on the outside yet fluffy and moist on the inside, it’s absolutely delicious!
In my perfect world, this Irish soda bread would have been up on the blog weeks in advance of St. Patrick’s Day, when everyone is searching for corned beef (BTW, I have an awesome corned beef hash recipe to make use of your leftover corned beef dinner!) and soda bread recipes.
Unfortunately, my world is presently a crazy balancing act of late hours at work and till-the-crack-of-dawn food blogging so I am posting this a day after St. Patrick’s instead. Fortunately, one day soon, I will have all the time in the world to do what I love best. I will be free to cook and shoot and write and share my favorite recipes with you, ON TIME!  For now, let me assure you that this quick bread is so good, it should be savored be all year long!
This recipe was given to me by the wife of one of our patients at work over our lively conversation about St. Patrick’s traditions last week. “My parents were both from Ireland and my mother made this often when I was growing up”, she stated. “I’ve modified my mom’s recipe over the years and have added a few things as the kind we had back in the days was just a basic dough of flour, baking soda, salt and sour milk.”
Her soda bread was definitely the best quick bread loaf I’ve ever had! I’ve baked it many times over since she gave me the recipe and it has never failed to please. With a crackling crust yet fluffy and moist underneath, thick slices generously slathered with copious amounts of whipped butter are absolutely divine with the piping hot cup of tea.
Here are a few helpful tips on how to make the best Irish Soda Bread at home:
- Quick breads use baking powder as the leavening agent. Check the expiration of your baking powder and make sure it’s fresh to ensure a full rise.
- Preheat your oven before you start preparing the batter. You don’t want the batter to stand too long before it goes into the oven as it may cause the middle of the bread to sink.
- For a moist, tender crumb, do NOT overmix the batter. Once you add the liquid to the flour mixture, stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Overmixing the batter will result in peaks, tunnels, and tough texture. A few lumps here and there are GOOD.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture instead of pouring the liquid ingredients all over. This will help you combine the wet and dry ingredients uniformly, preventing overmixing.
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces butter
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
- Grease a round casserole or loaf pan and set aside.
- In a bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add butter and cut into the flour using a pastry blender. Add raisins.
- In a small bowl, combine eggs and buttermilk. Whisk together until well-blended.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the liquid. Mix together just until combined.
- Spoon mixture into prepared loaf pan and bake in a 350 F oven for 1 hour.
- Remove from heat and allow to slightly cool. Remove from pan and slice into desired thickness.
Nutrition
Not traditional but very good nonetheless.
The addition of the eggs makes for a tender bread which stays tender and soft the next day!
A keeper.
Thanks for the feedback, Mel. I am glad you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
I tried this recipe: and two words easy and delicious. Will be making it for all my gym buddies for st Patrick’s day. Thank you for such a delightful recipe. 5 stars.
Thank you, Jennifer, for the feedback. I am glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Good recipe. A keeper for sure. 🙂 Baking in a loaf pan solves the problem of too-dry soda bread. I use 5 Tbsp. Sacco buttermilk powder and 1-1/4 cups of water instead of fresh buttermilk. (Mix the powder in with the dry ingredients). Though I like the aesthetics of the traditional scored round loaves, the baking-pan loaves are more practical for slicing and toasting. Just wish someone out there knew the secret to O’Relly’s Irish Soda Bread that I buy in the supermarket. There’s a lovely light back-flavor that I haven’t been able to duplicate in 30+ years of trying.
I am glad you enjoyed it, this is one of my favorite things to bake. I haven’t tried O’Relly’s Irish Soda bread, will definitely be on the lookout for it. If you do figure out the recipe, I’d be excited to hear it 🙂
Oh this looks and sounds so delish! Adding buttermilk while baking really makes it soft and also enhances the taste.
xx, Kusum | http://www.sveeteskapes.com
This looks amazing. I love all kinds of soda bread. I definitely will be trying this one out soon.
Thanks, Kathy 🙂
I love Irish soda bread! My grandma use to make it every year when I was a kid.
I learned how to make it last year and I’ve been making it almost every week now. Love it 🙂
I’ve never made soda bread before – I really think I need to give it a go! This looks lovely.
Please do try it. Irish soda bread is so easy to make and delicious 🙂
I have read about Irish soda bread but it’s just one of those things that always get pushed to the back when I’m looking for recipes. You made it look so yummy that I might just have to give it a go!
I know what you mean about recipes getting pushed back, I have a long list I’ve been wanting to try. St. Patrick’s the perfect time to finally bake Irish soda bread 🙂
This looks delicious and so yummy at tea butter and maybe even some honey or jam on it. You could probably also get away with it as a breakfast too!
Absolutely, Emma! It is good anytime of day 🙂
Beautiful! Love the golden crust on this bread. Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you, Alyssa 🙂
This bread looks perfect! Irish Soda Bread is my favorite part about St. Patty’s Day!
Thanks, Tiffany! Food is always a nice part of St. Patty’s 🙂
I’ve always wanted to try making Irish Soda Bread. So excited to have this fabulous recipe to use come St. Patty’s Day.
Thanks, Cindy! I am glad you are going to make it.
I hear you on the late-night blogging sessions – it’s a labor of love, I guess! Though I hope this year you are enjoying more balance. 🙂 I am on the hunt for a good Irish soda bread recipe this year, and I love the simplicity of this one. Thanks for sharing!
Labor of love, indeed. 🙂 I am a full time blogger now so things have been a less hectic 🙂
looks very tasty! my family loves bread! i think this is something that we should try for dinner!
I am sure the family will love it. Enjoy!
This looks so incredible! I will have to try and make some for St Patrick’s Day! I am not a great baker, but I might be able to handle this.
I am not much of a baker also but this bread is so easy to make, it’s foolproof!
looks like a very yummy bread! i would like to try this recipe !
Thanks, Kelly. I hope you like it 🙂
There is a lot of new recipes to try for and I think I wanted to make this soda bread first and foremost as I was craving for it now. lol
Thanks, Sarah! I hope you enjoy it!
I love making bread and this one looks so yummy. I should try this recipe.
Thanks, Tara. 🙂
I love a great tasting bread. Thank you for the recipe it looks delicious
It is my joy, Anne!
It is looking so delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe, i would love to try this.
Thanks, Shirley 🙂
I’ve never tried a bread like this before, or maybe I have but I’m not familiar with the name. It looks lovely! I’m sure it goes perfectly well with my favorite cup of tea!
It is going to be perfect with coffee, Elizabeth!
This looks delicious and I love the story behind it. I have had Irish Soda Bread before and it was absolutely scrumptious! I’ll have to try this recipe sometime.
Thanks, Lisa. 🙂
That is a yummy looking loaf of bread! I read through the ingredients and I loved it. There was nothing fancy, just stuff you’d usually find in the pantry. I’m making this on the weekend!
Yes, it’s a simple loaf you can make anytime without having to run around town for fancy ingredients. 🙂
I used to work at a bakery and I have never heard of Irish Soda bread! I like raisins in my bread so this must be pretty good.
Hi Natalie! You have to try this! 🙂
I have never attempted to make this, but I have a friend who is irish and I think he would love this! I will have to make this!
Thanks, Jeanette! Enjoy!
Mmm, this looks so delicious. I am a HUGE fan of bread.
Thanks, Amber. I hope you try it. 🙂