When I was little, my mother had a tea towel with a map of Ireland on it, and the map was crammed with family names so you could find which county your ancestors came from. For St. Patrick’s Day she used to tuck that towel into a basket and fill it with wedges of Irish Soda Bread, but I never cared for the bread—I just liked the game of finding our ancestors. Now that I’ve come to appreciate the unusual sweet caraway flavor, I’ve also learned there are as many variations on the recipe as names on that towel.
Some soda breads are savory, made with whole wheat flour and a smattering of other grains. In my family we prefer ours sweet, like a giant scone with a buttery sugar crust. Traditionally soda bread is dotted with currants, but my mother, when she became a Californian, switched to plump golden raisins. Across the board the one thing that seems to connect all soda breads is a lot of caraway. Aunt Betsy, my grandmother’s sister, always insisted on three tablespoons of seeds, so that’s how much we toss in.
Over the years my mother has made Aunt Betsy’s recipe her own. (The golden raisins would probably have Betsy turning over in her grave, but we love them anyway.) It’s delicious for breakfast—or, if you want to really play Irish, have it with your afternoon tea.
Irish Soda Bread
makes one 9-inch round loaf
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons caraway seeds
1 box (15 oz.) golden raisins
3/4 cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)
1 2/3 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Coarse or raw sugar for sprinkling over top
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan or skillet that is at least 2 1/2 inches deep.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and caraway seeds. Stir in the raisins until they are well-coated with the flour mixture.
Add the oil to the flour mixture and stir until it is well incorporated.
In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well. Your batter should be quite wet.
Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Using a sharp knife, cut a deep x in the batter. Then drizzle the melted butter over the top (using a pastry brush, if necessary, to distribute it evenly—it might pool up a little, but it will form a nice crust in the oven). Sprinkle generously with coarse sugar.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown and completely set. Let cool for ten minutes or so before turning it out of the pan. Delicious while warm!
A few other recipes for your St. Patrick’s Day feast:
How to Cure Corned Beef (In Time for St. Patrick's Day)
Warm Up to St. Patrick's With an Irish Whiskey Skin
St. Patrick's Day Pairing: Ale and Irish Cheddar
(Images: Susie Nadler for the Kitchn)
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thanks for the reminder! i'm definitely making this tonight with my moms old recipe. no golden raisins in this one, but lots of caraway seeds for sure!
My family's recipe has no caraway seeds at all! I made one yesterday to bring in to share with work tomorrow for breakfast - can't wait!
Ours doesn't have any caraway either. It's also more of a dough than a batter: Mom bakes it on a cookie sheet. I don't have time to do a proper corned beef and cabbage dinner tomorrow night but I'll have to make soda bread when I do find the time.
Wow! No caraway, huh? And here I thought that was the one element that defined a soda bread... I wonder what actually does define a soda bread? In my research I found that the quantities of baking soda differ dramatically in the recipes, so I don't think that's it either...
Thanks for weighing in! Happy St. Pat's!
- Susie
I definitely prefer the "no caraway seeds" version as well!
My mom's neighbor makes both kinds at the same time so everyone gets what they want.
well, the quantities of soda might vary, but the soda is a necessary element. you can't have a soda bread with yeast.
my understanding is that sweet soda breads are american in origin, while traditional irish bread is pretty bare bones and much more bread than scone.
when i was a kid it really confused me that there were different sorts of soda bread. i couldn't figure out why sometimes i liked it (because it was dessert like) and sometimes it was just bread!
Today I made oatmeal/walnut/cranberry soda bread, I'm eager to cut into it and smother it with butter. I haven't had this kind before.
I also like mine on the sweeter side, and guess that's an "American" thing, I may have to make this recipe tomorrow though, sounds great, thanks.
Oh my goodness, I just finished a loaf (a HUGE loaf) of this and it's fantastic. The golden raisins are such a nice compliment to the caraway. I made it in my cast iron skillet and it turned out perfectly. This loaf may never make it to work tomorrow . . .
Thank you so much for posting this recipe. I made it last night and it was wonderful. I totally surprised my husband with it (I dont cook, ever) and we both enjoyed it greatly.
My mother has that same tea towel! I'm definitely going to try this recipe soon.
This recipe identical (except the addition of caraway)to my Grandmother's. I've eaten it for the last 50 years. Unfortunately, my attempts yesterday produced batter all over my oven, much to my dismay. Two loaves are now 1 1/4. Should have asked my mother to make them for me. Not enough flour or too much buttermilk and a telephone conversation does not make for a good loaf of bread. In the Celtic community, this bread is known as a railway cake. I think I'll bake it in another vessel next year. Thanks for sharing your photos.
I take the heresy an extra step by soaking the raisins in whiskey. Of course the Irish would consider that a total waste, but it lends a lovely earthy taste. Here's my version, a riff on "spotted dog"
http://www.rustickitchen.com/blog/?p=513