Servings: 1 mega loaf

Ingredients

• 5 cups all-purpose unbleached flour, sifted
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ pound (1 stick) Kerrygold butter, chunked
• 2 ½ cups dark raisins, soaked in water for 15 to 20 minutes and drained
• 3 tbsp caraway seeds
• 2 ½ cups buttermilk
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten

Directions

• Put on some fun Irish music!
• Preheat the oven to 350° F
• Generously butter a 9-inch spring form cake pan, 3″ deep*
• Stir together the sifted flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar
• Add in the butter and mix very thoroughly with your hands until mixture gets grainy
• Sprinkle in the raisins and caraway seeds
• Add the buttermilk and egg to the flour mixture
• Mix until well moistened
• With floured hands shape dough into a loaf and place in the greased pan.
• Bake for 70 minutes.
• Test with a toothpick for doneness.
• Cool in the pan for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
• Serve with Kerrygold butter

Chef’s Notes

*You can split this into two shallower pans but I like the mega loaf, as the bread stays very moist. Adjust cook times accordingly.

This is a sweeter style of soda bread typically made by Irish-Americans. In Ireland, soda bread is typically just flour, salt, baking soda, and buttermilk. It is delicious as well!