Irish Soda Bread Caraway (Printable)
Rustic Irish soda bread with tender crumb and subtle caraway flavor, great for breakfast or with soups.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
05 - 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 1 ¾ cups buttermilk
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Optional Add-ins
08 - ½ cup raisins or currants
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, and caraway seeds in large bowl. Stir in raisins or currants if using.
03 - Create well in center of dry ingredients. Pour buttermilk and melted butter into well. Gently stir with wooden spoon until shaggy dough forms.
04 - Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead briefly just until dough comes together, approximately 1 minute. Avoid over-kneading.
05 - Shape dough into round loaf approximately 7 inches wide. Place on prepared baking sheet.
06 - Using sharp knife, cut deep cross pattern across top of loaf.
07 - Brush loaf with extra melted butter.
08 - Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on bottom.
09 - Transfer to wire rack. Cool for minimum 30 minutes before slicing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in under 15 minutes from start to finish
- The caraway seeds give it that distinctive Irish flavor you can't find in store-bought versions
- Perfect for beginners, no yeast skills required
02 -
- Over-kneading will make the bread tough, work it just enough to bring it together
- The hollow sound when tapping the bottom is your doneness indicator
- Letting it cool completely prevents the crumb from being gummy
03 -
- Measure flour by spooning into your measuring cup and leveling off, don't scoop directly
- If your dough feels too sticky, add just 1 tablespoon of flour at a time
- Butter the knife before cutting to prevent sticking