This easy soda bread recipe cooks up quick and has a delicious flavour. Serve as-is or try adding dried fruit as dessert.
No yeast, no sourdough, no problem! This bread is leavened with baking soda, making it the perfect "I need a loaf of bread now" recipe! You can easily make it lean sweet or savoury so it will fit on the table with any meal at any time of the day.
The family loves a bowl of Moose Burger Soup, or sometimes we go all out and make Lamb Shank Soup. This quick bread is perfect for swiping up every last drop. Prefer individual servings of bread? Heavy Cream Drop Biscuits are also a quick and easy option.
Key Ingredients
Flour - Already being a decently dense bread, I don't use fresh ground here. I keep organic all-purpose on hand just for such recipes as this one.
Buttermilk - Cultured buttermilk gives this the perfect tanginess.
Butter - Quick breads need this added fat to be tender. An egg also aids this.
Baking Soda - Here's your leavener, rather than relying on yeast or sourdough.
How to Make Irish Soda Bread
***See recipe card below for precise measurements and instructions.***
Step 1: Whisk egg into buttermilk and set aside.
Step 2: Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 3: Cut in butter until dough resembles coarse crumbs.
Step 4: Add wet to dry and combine.
Step 5: Stir in cranberries if using.
Step 6: Plop dough on a floured surface to shape to fit your pan.
Step 7: Grease a skillet and add dough.
Step 8: Bake until golden and cooked through.
FAQs
I don't recommend it for this type of recipe. It is super basic in ingredients and the flavor profile, and you really will want the tang of the buttermilk. It's also quite thicker than any substitute you can come up with, and is what makes the dough thick enough to shape well and cook up in a skillet.
You can definitely use a different pan if that's what you have! Just make sure any coatings or handles are rated for the cooking temp of the recipe. You could also try a Dutch oven. The dough is also decently stiff that you could bake it right on a baking sheet.
Photos by Dante from Shire by the Sea
More Skillet Recipes
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Griddle Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups cultured buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dried cranberries optional
- ¼ cup cold butter
- 1 tablespoon lard to grease pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Whisk buttermilk with egg and set aside.
- Combine all dry ingredients (cranberries optional) in large mixing bowl.
- Cut butter into pea sized pieces and incorporate into flour.
- Make a well in the middle of your flour mix. Add buttermilk with egg mixture into well and gently incorporate into a wet, sticky dough.
- Place on a lightly floured cutting board and shape into a rough round loaf.
- Grease cast iron pan well and place loaf carefully into pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until loaf is a golden hue.
- Cool on rack for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Try butter or honey for tasty toppings, especially in savory applications.
- Using dried fruit? Honey is especially tasty here or even try a quick drizzle of powdered sugar with milk.
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