In a few days we’ll be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in our house, and that means I’ll be serving my favorite corned beef and Irish Soda Bread. I love soda bread with a cup of tea in the afternoon, and a few years ago I posted my favorite Irish Soda Bread recipe.
But this new recipe has dried cranberries along with raisins, and it uses melted butter instead of chilled butter. So it’s a bit different from my original recipe, but just as delicious. And now that I’m on deadline again with a special project for my agent, I think I’ll make two soda breads and bring one, along with my pot of tea, into the my writing cave so I can get all the words down this weekend. I hope you all have a wonderful early Spring weekend!
Cranberry Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 2 eggs slightly beaten
- 2 Tablespoons caraway seeds
- 1 Tablespoon caraway seeds
- 1 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 Tablespoon milk to crush on top
- sugar for sprinkling on top optional
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 ℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, use a fork to stir together the baking soda, salt, baking powder, flour, and sugar.
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Still using a fork, stir in the buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs.
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Using clean hands, mix in the caraway seeds, raisins, and cranberries. Keep mixing with your fingers until a dough ball begins to form. Then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
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Still using your hands, knead the dough ten times until it forms a bread ball and the dough sticks together. Lightly grease the parchment paper and place the bread on top. Cut a cross into the top of the bread and brush with a milk wash. Then sprinkle a dash of sugar on top, if you'd like. Bake for 55-60 minutes, making sure to check in the last 15 minutes to make sure it doesn't overbake. It should be a nice golden brown.
