Irish Soda Bread

With St. Patrick’s day coming up on Tuesday, this recipe is perfect for celebrating (even if you’re not Irish)!  Heating the raisins in a cup of water on the stove helps them to keep them juicy and delicious when they’re baked in the oven. Kids will love to help with this recipe, too:

Ingredients:

 3/4 cup sugar

1 stick butter, softened

1 egg

3 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 cup raisins

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan or 1 1/2 quart casserole for a round loaf, and set aside.  Cream together the sugar and butter, then add an egg until well blended. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the flour mixture together with a wire whisk for about a minute to sift it. Gradually mix the flour mixture into the butter and sugar. Stir in the buttermilk until blended. Then stir in the raisins (I like to boil them in about a cup and a half of water and then drain them before adding them to the dough- it helps to keep them plump and moist) and the caraway seeds. Spread the dough evenly into the loaf pan and cut an X in the top. This will help prevent cracking. Bake the bread for an hour or until it browns lightly. Cool in pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.