This quick Irish Soda bread recipe uses a mix of all-purpose flour and whole-wheat flour.
Jump to Recipe
I personally love St. Patrick’s Day. It is a great time to celebrate our family’s Irish heritage (on both sides) and pass along Irish American traditions, like reading St. Patrick’s prayer and enjoying Corned Beef and Cabbage and Irish Soda Bread for supper.
This eggless Irish soda bread recipe makes a hearty loaf with the addition of whole-wheat flour, but results in a smaller round than our other Irish Soda Bread recipe.
It’s called “soda bread” because the rising action is a result of baking soda rather than yeast, making it quick and simple. The recipe calls for kneading twice, but you do want to make sure not to over-knead the dough. It should stay a little bit wet and sticky. And don’t skip cutting the cross into the top of the bread; it has a practical purpose in that it helps the bread bake evenly and allows steam to escape.
You can use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, a Dutch oven, or a sheet pan to bake Irish soda bread.
Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread Substitutions
Buttermilk: The acid in buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to make Irish soda bread rise, but you can make your own DIY “buttermilk” by stirring in a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk and allowing it to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.
Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Whole wheat Irish soda bread comes together quickly with no yeast or rising time. Raisins add a touch of sweetness to the hearty texture.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk or soured milk
- 1/3 cup raisins
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Grease or line your pan with parchment paper. (You can skip this step if you’re using a well-seasoned cast iron pan.)
3. In a bowl, mix together both kinds of flour, the baking soda, the salt, and the sugar.
4. Gradually stir in the buttermilk until the mixture becomes too stiff to stir.
5. Turn out the mixture onto a clean, lightly floured countertop and knead it gently just until the dough comes together.
6. Add the raisins and knead again, just until they are folded in. Be careful not to overwork the dough. It should remain somewhat wet and sticky.
7. Transfer the dough to your prepared pan or baking dish. With a sharp knife, score a deep cross into the top of the dough.
8. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. The loaf should sound hollow when tapped.
Printable Recipe for Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread
Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk or soured milk
- 1/3 cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Grease or line your pan with parchment paper. (You can skip this step if you're using a well-seasoned cast iron pan.)
- In a bowl, mix together both kinds of flour, the baking soda, the salt, and the sugar.
- Gradually stir in the buttermilk until the mixture becomes too stiff to stir.
- Turn out the mixture onto a clean, lightly floured countertop and knead it gently just until the dough comes together.
- Add the raisins and knead again, just until they are folded in. Be careful not to overwork the dough. It should remain somewhat wet and sticky.
- Transfer the dough to your prepared pan and score a cross into the top with a very sharp knife.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. The loaf should sound hollow when tapped.
Notes
Nutrition
More St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
Corned Beef and Cabbage Casserole with a Hash Brown Crust
Corned Beef Tater Tot Casserole
Would you like to save this article?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Leave a Reply