This Irish soda bread recipe is a great way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, which is right around the corner! If made correctly, this is one of the best quick breads (those leavened without yeast) you'll ever have. It's subtly sweet, with a light, tender crumb, and not at all dry.
Ingredients
- ¼ cups all-purpose flour: 3 piece
- whole wheat flour: 0.5 cup
- rolled oats: 0.25 cup
- ½ teaspoons salt: 1 piece
- ¼ teaspoons baking soda: 1 piece
- baking powder: 1 tsp
- unsalted butter, cut into small cubes: 0.25 cup (cold)
- ¾ cups buttermilk: 1 piece
- egg: 1 piece
- honey: 2 Tbsp (to taste)
- orange zest: 2 tsp (grated)
- currants: 1 cup (dried)
- golden raisins: 0.33333 cup
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
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Whisk together flours, oats, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a large bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry blender until mixture resembles a coarse meal.
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Beat together buttermilk, egg, honey, and orange zest in a medium bowl. Pour buttermilk mixture, currants, and raisins into flour-butter mixture; stir with a wooden spoon until a wet, sticky dough comes together.
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Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface; press dough together into a ball and cut into 2 equal pieces. Form each into a smooth, round loaf. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and let rest for 15 minutes. Cut a 1/2-inch-deep "X" into the top of each loaf using a serrated knife.
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Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and fragrant, about 45 minutes. Transfer loaves to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
