Goldie’s Irish Soda Bread

My favorite recipe for soda bread. Be sure to see my note below about baking. Sometimes mistakes can turn out to be for the good.

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup raisins

1 tablespoon caraway seed

1 large egg

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup sour cream

Set oven to 300° (see note below). Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. Sift together the dry ingredients. Using a food processor with the steel blade or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles small peas.

Blend in the raisins and caraway seeds. Beat the egg, buttermilk, and sour cream together until blended. Stir the egg mixture into the dry mixture just until blended.

Transfer the batter to the pan and bake for about 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

CeCe’s Note:

I mistakenly baked this at 300º for the first 45 or 50 minutes. When it wasn’t getting done I realized the oven was not set at 350º as the recipe stated. All I can say is it was one good mistake . . . might have even helped it stay moister . . . who knows? It turned out fantastic!

Traditional Irish-American Soda Bread

This bread is so moist and tender. Be careful not to over-bake it.

3 cups flour

1 Tbs baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup raisins

1 Tbs caraway seeds

1 large egg

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

4 Tbs melted butter

Preheat oven to 375º. Grease a 10” springform pan and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, raisins, and caraway seeds.

In a separate bowl whisk egg, buttermilk, and melted butter. Gently stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

Transfer batter to prepared springform pan.

Bake 40-45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool before serving

Lemon Bread

3/4  cup  butter or margarine
1  cup  sugar
3  eggs
2-1/4  cups  flour
1/4  tsp  salt
1/4  tsp  baking soda
3/4  cup  buttermilk
Grated rind of one lemon
Juice from  2  lemons
3/4  cup  chopped pecans, optional
3/4  cup  powdered sugar

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in lemon rind and pecans.

Spoon into prepared loaf pan. Bake @325 for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in the pan.

Blend lemon juice and powdered sugar until sugar is dissolved. Remove loaf from the pan and place it on a wire rack. Pierce several times with a toothpick, Spoon the glaze over warm loaf. (Or leave it in the pan while glazing, which is what I usually do).

Date Nut Bread

2  lbs  chopped dates
1  lb  chopped pecans
1  cup  flour
1  cup  sugar
2  tsp  baking powder
4  eggs
1  Tbs  brandy
1  tsp  vanilla

Combine all the ingredients, stirring by hand until just mixed. Bake in prepared loaf pan for one hour @350 degrees.

Serve with whipped cream and it's a dessert. Serve plain with orange butter for a special breakfast or lunch treat.

I like to spread slices of this date bread with pineapple cream cheese (cream cheese, crushed pineapple, and powdered sugar). Place a second slice of bread on top. Cut into quarters. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a strawberry. Makes  a delicious little one bite dessert, and looks absolutely gorgeous.

NOTE: This is a sturdy bread, almost like a fruitcake type. So if you want a softer bread, this is not your recipe.

Cranberry Bread

2  cups  flour, sifted
1  tsp  salt
1-1/2  tsp  baking powder
1/2  tsp  baking soda
1  cup  sugar
1  orange
2  Tbs  vegetable oil
Boiling water
1  egg, beaten
1  cup  chopped pecans
1  cup  cranberries, thinly sliced

Sift dry ingredients together. Grate the rind of one orange and put into a measuring cup. Add the juice from the orange, and the oil. Add enough boiling water to this to measure 3/4 cup (probably only a very small amount). Add egg. Mix liquid and dry ingredients together. Fold in nuts and cranberries.

Pour into greased loaf pan. Let sit for 20 minutes before baking @325 for 65-75 minutes. Cool 15 minutes in pan before removing to cooling rack carefully.

Apricot Bread

1  cup  dried apricots
1  cup  sugar
2  Tbs  butter, melted
1  egg
1/4  cup  water
1/2  cup  orange juice
Grated rind from one orange, optional
2  cups  flour
2  tsp  baking soda
1  tsp salt
1/2  cup  chopped nuts

Cover apricots with warm water. Soak for 30 minutes. Drain and chop into 1/4" pieces. Blend sugar, butter, and egg. Add water, and orange juice.

Sift dry ingredients together. Add grated orange rind, if using. Toss to coat the rind. Add to liquids. Beat until smooth. Add apricots and nuts.

Pour into prepared loaf pan. Let sit for 20 minutes before baking. Bake @350 degrees for 55-65 minutes.
Cool and then remove from pan.

My Original Irish Soda Bread

This gets many compliments when I make it. 

3-1/2  cups  flour
2/3  cup  sugar
1  Tbs  baking powder
1  tsp  baking soda
1  tsp  salt
1  cup  raisins
1  Tbs  caraway seeds
2  eggs, beaten
1-1/2  cups  buttermilk (use the real stuff)
2  Tbs  melted butter

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir in raisins and caraway seeds.

Combine eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter. Add to dry ingredients. Lightly stir just to combine. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake @375 degrees for one hour.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

This is one of the best tasting (and nutritious) banana breads out there. Years ago I got this recipe out of the Adelle Davis cookbook, Food for a Small Planet. It really is good.

1/4  cup butter or margerine
2/3  cup  honey
3  eggs
1  cup  mashed ripe bananas
1/3  cup  water
1  tsp  vanilla
1/4  cup  dry milk powder
1  tsp  salt
2  tsp  baking powder
1  tsp  baking soda
2  cups  whole wheat flour
1/2  cup  chopped nuts

Cream together butter, honey, and eggs. Add mashed bananas, water, and vanilla. Mix well.

Add dry ingredients, stirring by hand to just moisten. Stir in nuts. Pour into greased load pan and bake @325 for 1-hour, plus 5 - 10 minutes. It will look done, but it has a tendency to fall in the middle when cooling, if it is taken out too soon. So be sure to fully bake it.

Mother Earth Bread

2  cups  boiling water
1  cup  oats
1/2  cup  honey
1  tsp  salt
2  pkgs  dry yeast
2  Tbs  melted butter
4-1/2  to  5  cups  flour

Soak yeast in 1/3 cup warm water for 5 minutes. Combine oays and boiling water. Add salt, honey, and butter. Add yeast and enough flour to make a kneadable dough. Knead for 5 - 10 minutes. Let rise until double. Divide in half. Shape into two loaves. Put into greased loaf pans and let rise again.

Add small amount of water to an egg yolk, and brush over loaves. Bake @325 for 50 minutes.

Irish Soda Bread

I've tried a lot of different recipes, and this one is right up there.
  
3-1/2  cups  flour
1/2  cup  sugar
1/2  tsp  baking soda
2  tsp  baking powder
1  tsp  salt
1  pint  sour cream
2  eggs
2  Tbs  caraway seeds
3/4  cup  raisins

Combine the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, beat eggs and stir in the sour cream. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon. Batter will be very thick. Add the raisins and caraway seeds and stir well with a wooden spoon or knead in with your hands. Place the batter on a greased cookie sheet. Dust the dough with enough flour to be able to shape into a rough circle and cut an X shape in the top with a sharp knife. Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes.

This is a very wet dough. Don't worry, it is supposed to be. Make sure you keep your hands dusted with flour as you work so the dough doesn't stick to you. The bread will be moist and light when done.

Blueberry Banana Bread

This recipe also makes delicious muffins. Adjust the baking time for muffins.

1  cup  mashed bananas (about 3 very ripe bananas)
1  cup  sour cream
1/4  cup  butter, room temperature
1  cup  sugar
2   eggs
1  tsp  vanilla
1  tsp  baking soda
1  tsp  baking powder
2   cups  flour
1/2  tsp  salt
1  cup  fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw if using frozen berries)                      


Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour two 7x3” loaf pans or one bundt pan. Combine mashed bananas and sour cream. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well.

Mix together, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Blend in banana mixture. Fold in blueberries. Spread batter into prepared pan(s). Bake about 50 minutes, or until done. If using a bundt pan it may take a bit longer.

Best Ever Banana Bread

This is a very moist bread. Along with the recipe in Sprinkled With Love (my personal family cookbook) which uses whole wheat flour, they are my top two favorites.The topping is optional, but don't omit it. It really makes this bread outstanding. 


3/4  cup  butter
2-1/4  cups  sugar
3  eggs, beaten
2  tsp  vanilla
1/3  cup  sour cream
2  tsp  lemon juice
5  bananas, very ripe
2/3  cup  applesauce
2  tsp  cinnamon
1/2  cup  finely ground walnuts         
3  cups  flour
1  tsp  baking powder
1  tsp  baking soda

Topping:
6  Tbs  butter
10  Tbs  dark brown sugar
5  Tbs  milk
1  cup chopped pecans


Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. Add vanilla, sour cream, lemon juice, bananas, and applesauce. Add dry ingredients and ground nuts. Mix just to blend. Do not over-mix.
Pour batter into two greased loaf pans. Bake @350° for 1 hour, or until done. May take another 5 minutes or so, but be sure it is done as it will otherwise sink. Let sit in the pan for 5-7 minutes, before removing to cooling rack.


For Topping: 
Melt butter; add sugar and milk. Cook until syrupy. Remove from heat and add nuts. Pour over baked bread, spreading to all corners. Broil until bubbly. Watch closely.