Irish Soda Bread

Last year was the first time I ever tried my hand at an Irish Soda Bread, as part of my Berks County Living column, Phoebe Savors Berks, Berks County Living Style. This year another local friend dug into her family’s recipe box to share two Irish recipes.

Mary Ellen Mahan’s grandmother emigrated from Ireland and recipes were passed down. Mary Ellen shared a recipe for Colcannon. Are you curious? I was when she said it was a family favorite potato based dish. I think she had me at potatoes! Find the recipe at my Berks County Living column.

Try Mary Ellen’s recipe for Irish Porter Cake, too! While you are in the kitchen listen to our chit chat with Mary Ellen about trips to Ireland and family memories.

Give the Mahan Family Irish Soda Bread recipe a whirl! It’s rather good warm from the oven, with a slather of butter or jam. I made my version vegan by using almond milk versus buttermilk.

Irish Soda Bread

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

It's easy to make this as a vegan version, substitute the buttermilk for a non-dairy milk. I added a few teaspoons of lemon juice to the almond milk.

: Macnamara – Mahan Family, from County Mayo

: bread, Irish

Serves: 18 servings

Ingredients

• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons caraway seeds (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup raisins or currents
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 1 quart buttermilk
• Optional addition: ⅓ cup plain greek yogurt, per Mary Ellen

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour sugar, baking soda, caraway seeds, salt, baking soda and raisins.
2. Add the oil and buttermilk to the dry ingredients; mix well.
3. Pour even amounts into two, prepared loaf pans.
4. Bake at 400ºF degrees for 30 minutes.
5. Bake an additional 30-35 minutes at 350ºF degrees.

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