Irish Soda Bread

Ok, I am a little late with this. When I made this soda bread last week I thought I'd be giving you a recipe for St. Patrick's Day but with our data-limited internet plan, I couldn't upload the pictures until today! However, this soda bread would be good any day, any time of year. It is my Great-Grandma's recipe. My GG. She wasn't from Ireland but Scotland, and you know, that is pretty close :). I even debated whether I wanted to share this family heirloom with you because I thought it might be best kept a secret for our own family. But, recipes are meant to be shared. I think my GG wouldn't mind me sharing her recipe with all of you!

There are many recipes and types of soda bread, but what I like about this one is that is isn't super-sweet, and it isn't very dry like some soda bread recipes. It has a richness to it that is somewhat deceiving because it is really a waist-friendly bread. I'll say this over and over - my blog is certainly not about low-calorie/low-sugar/losing weight, but if you are trying to lose a few, this recipe isn't going to ruin your week.

It a one-bowl recipe, which I really like! You start with the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar. Then you crumb-in half a stick of butter. This is what I mean by waist-friendly - two loaves of the bread only has 1/4 cup of butter in the whole thing. It mystifies me how it can be so good - but I think it has a lot to do with the buttermilk. I also use my fingers to incorporate butter into dry ingredients. It is so much easier than trying to use a pastry cutter or two knives or what-have-you. Then you add in the raisins, and then the eggs and buttermilk.

Then you let it stand for about 15 minutes. I think this has to do with letting the soda mix with the buttermilk and work its magic.

Then you put it into two greased bread pans and bake it at 350 for about an hour. It is really good warm straight out of the oven!

GG's Soda Bread

3 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cup raisins
2 cups buttermilk

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut in butter. Add raisins. Then add the buttermilmk and eggs. Pour in to 2 greased bread pans and let stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.