There are hundreds of recipes for Irish soda bread; it seems every family has their favorite. Some versions are made with whole wheat flour, some are yeasted, some contain buttermilk, and some contain other ingredients such as raisins and caraway seeds. While reviewing an excellent cookbook, Dishing up New Jersey, by John Holl, I ran across a very different recipe for soda bread. I followed his recipe, made it several times, and made a few minor adaptations to make it easier to put together. I have decided that this is possibly the World's Best Irish Soda Bread. It’s easy to put together and goes well with Irish dinners of every kind.

If you’d rather make plain soda bread, simply leave out the raisins and caraway seeds; however, I don’t recommend it. This version is fairly sweet and dense. It’s good toasted and even makes good sandwiches.

18 Slices

4 1/2 cups flour, or 3 1/2 cups flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons sour cream

1/2 cup raisins
1 to 3 tablespoons caraway seeds, according to taste (we like the larger amount)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Spray a standard loaf pan (9 1/4" x 5 1/4" x 2 1/2") with non-stick spray. Or if you prefer a traditional round loaf, spray a 9" round cake pan with non-stick spray.
3. Measure the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a fine strainer set over a large mixer bowl.
4. With the mixer on low speed, add the milk, egg, and sour cream; mix until just moistened, scraping the bowl once or twice.
5. Stir in the raisins and caraway seeds.
6. Scrape the dough into the prepared baking pan, smoothing out the top (either the loaf pan or the round pan). If using the round pan, make an indentation over the surface like a cross.
7. Bake 65-75 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Remove the loaf from the oven, let sit 5 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. Let cool before slicing.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 185 Calories from Fat 17
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 9% Protein 10% Carb. 80%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 2 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 16 mg
Sodium 232 mg
Total Carbohydrate 37 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 8 g
Protein 5 g

Vitamin A 1% Vitamin C 1% Calcium 0% Iron 3%