Easy Homemade Irish Soda Bread

Here's a brief history of the tasty loaf:

Irish farmers had started with only four ingredients - wheat flour, baking soda, sour milk, and salt. Bicarbonate soda was introduced in the 1830s, which helped many families make bread more affordable and accessible. During that time in Ireland, yeast was not available, and they discovered that sour milk and baking soda could act as a leavening for the bread to rise. Many farmers lived isolated with no oven, so they turned to iron pots or griddles over open fireplaces. The sour milk and cast iron gave the bread its unique texture. Over time, new additions like raisins, caraway seeds, and honey were added. Today that sour milk is buttermilk, but from then until today, it has been the same way to eat. Slather it with butter!

What you will need

• 1 and 3/4 cup of buttermilk (I had used Friendship Dairies' Light)

• 1 medium egg

• 4 cups of flour

• 1 teaspoon of salt

• 1 teaspoon of baking soda

• 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar

• 5 tablespoons of cold butter

• 1 cup of dried cranberries

Whisk your dry ingredients in a bowl, and whisk your buttermilk and egg separately. An egg is optional, but it will make it dense. Make sure the butter is cold and chopped up. Pressing down with a fork helps cut it up. Fold in the dried cranberries (I had swapped from raisins since I have dogs). Pour in the wet mixture and continue to fold until all flour is coated.

Make sure to flour your workstation and your hands. The dough can fall apart quickly and get sticky on your hands. Knead only about 30 seconds to a minute.

It will look uneven and about to fall apart, but that's okay! I shaped mine into a nice little circle of love. Make sure to cut lines on top of the dough so the heat can cook the middle.

If you have a cast iron, definitely use it!

A quick tip: I got mine at Target for a great price!

The cast iron will help give the bread that nice golden crust, but if you don't have one, a baking dish lined with parchment paper and butter will work, too!

I baked mine in a preheated oven set at 400 degrees for 55 minutes. It should have that nice golden color on top.

This bread was so easy to make, and it's delicious! Soda bread can go bad after two to three days if left at room temperature. Ensure the bread is fully cooked if you plan on freezing it. There is no wrong way to eat this tasty treat, but butter and strawberry jam work like a charm!

ENJOY!