A very easy, very good tasting bread. Best if made the day before, or several hours before serving.

Irresistible Irish Soda Bread

all-purpose flour

baking powder

white sugar

salt

baking soda

egg, lightly beaten

buttermilk

butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.


Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Blend egg and buttermilk together, and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in butter. Pour into prepared pan.


Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Wrap in foil for several hours, or overnight, for best flavor.


From the photo of this bread, it does look irresistible. However, there is one ingredient that is not listed and probably makes this bread irresistible, and that is Raisins.

Having never made soda bread before, I was confused as to which recipe might be "the best." I tried this recipe as well as "Amazingly easy Irish soda bread" (submitted by Megan).  I liked this bread, but my husband thought it was really plain and boring.  However, I LOVED the "Amazingly Easy Irish Soda Bread" recipe.  So, while "Irresistible Irish Soda Bread" was VERY EASY and quite good, the "Amazingly Easy" version produces a bread with a tender, flaky crust and a slightly sweeter bread.

This isn't traditional Irish Soda Bread, more like a sweet breakfast bread. I think it is better suited for a brunch or tea than St. Patrick's Day Celebrations! It was tasty, if a little bland. Adding currants makes it less bland (because it isn't like soda bread) and more like a homeade raisin bread. It was hard to reconcile the fact that the bread is both sweet and savory. If you want authentic Irish Soda Bread, check out the "Irish Brown Soda Bread" recipe on this site.

Wonderfully soft and moist. Everyone at our St. Patty's Day party loved it. I put the batter in two aluminum loaf pans (the kind you can throw away) and they baked up beautifully. Thanks!

Very Good.  This bread is a soft dough, so you must put it into a bread pan, unlike other soda breads that you can shape into a loaf.  This as with all soda breads is a dense bread.

This was very quick and easy to make.  I wrapped it in foil overnight and the next day it was so good.  It's a good bread for soup or chili or stew.  I will definately make this again.
Janet McWhorter, Roanoke, Va.

I served this at my annual St Patrick's day party and it was a hit.  Yummy, moist and the perfect accompaniment to Irish stew or corned beef and cabbage.  Thanks for sharing this recipe.  It has become part of the tradition!

Quick and easy!  I added some raisins and sour cream.  Totally enjoyed it!

LOVE THIS RECIPE!!!  It develops such a beautiful crust, with perfect golden color, and has a perfectly balanced, toasty flavor.  It's my new go-to bread recipe for everyday use (I am allergic to yeast, so this is a fantastic alternative and not something I merely "settle for").  Some variations I've tried (and loved):  I used white whole wheat flour, which added some nutrients without changing the texture (I'll stick with this).  I also baked it in two 3.5x7" professional loaf pans and reduced baking time to exactly 50 minutes; this worked out perfectly, and I'll stick with this method, too.  Finally, I made a batch with raisins and layers of cinnamon sugar.  Yummy sweet treat!  (But I prefer the plain for everyday use.)  HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS RECIPE.  Have fun with it, and thank you so much, Karin, for sharing!

I have been making Irish soda bread for over 30 years.  This recipe is the best one I have made, just don't forget the raisens.  I used about 3/4 of a cup.
Eva G

I can't decide which I like better, this or Amazingly Easy Irish Soda Bread.  Both are good, this one isn't traditional looking and is a bit sweeter.  I added 1 cup of raisins to the batter, however most of them landed toward the bottom during the baking process.  The crust on this one is really nice.  Definitely toast and serve with butter!

This was very easy, but NOT the traditional Irish Soda bread one thinks of.  By reading the comments (re: overflow) I poured into one regular loaf pan and 1 mini loaf pan - this was perfect!  And it gives me a small loaf for my enjoyment and a reg. size loaf for my office!  Honey butter is wonderful with this.  I added 1 cup baking raisins, but next time will use 1 1/2 or 2 cups.  For fun, I sprinkled green sugars over tops before baking, which gave a nice result overall.
IF USING MINI LOAVES BAKE FOR 45 Minutes.  Good Luck!

In Ireland,this is referred to as tea-cake, spotted dog, fruit loaf etc, see Barry's recipe for Real Irish Soda bread.good recipe but ill-named.

A lovely bread, for sure, that's easy to make, moist, delicately flavored and pretty to boot.  And a bread, for sure, I wouldn't hesitate to make again.  Still, it was just a tad too sweet for me, which is no criticism of the recipe, just an individual taste preference.  For Hubs, on the other hand, it was just right.

I added 1 cup raisins to flour mixture.  I also added lemon juice to skim milk (usually use whole milk when I do this, but skim was what I had--as I never have buttermilk in house) to create buttermilk effects for recipe.  Those were my only changes.  This was really good bread.  My husband asked about it and wants to have it more often.  It had a sweetness to it, not sure the raisins contributed to that as all bites were good!  Reminded me of bread I had when I toured Ireland.  Went well with our Irish Stew tonight!  Will make this new find often!  (FYI if you don't have buttermilk you can add lemon juice or white vinegar to milk, let it set a few minutes before adding to recipe, it will work just as well as buttermilk).

This was great.  I had never tried Irish Soda Bread before, just kept seeing it mentioned with the Irish Lamb Stew recipe http://holiday.allrecipes.com/AZ/IrishLambStew.asp .  Am so glad I tried them together.  What an easy recipe that is so good!  Please do try, not only w/the Lamb Stew, but with ANY stew, or anytime you would like a good think (and so EASY) bread to go w/your meal!  Thank you!!!

I grew up eating the "traditional" soda bread  but my family much prefers this recipe to the old fashioned dry loaf. An Irish penpal of mine sent me a virtually identical recipe years ago so this must be authentically Irish too. I served this bread at our St Patrick's Day party a few years back and my guests argued over who got the last slice!

I'm a stickler for reading all the reviews and trying a recipe as is before I make any changes. This bread is delicious! You don't need to change anything. I think raisins would make it dessert-like. Was looking for something for sandwiches and breakfast. 

My husband just developed a yeast allergy and I was looking for a yeast-free bread recipe. Decided to go with this instead of Amazingly Easy Irish Soda Bread because of the simplicity as it required no kneading. It's nice hot, just a bit crumbly so wrapped it in foil overnight (after my husband ate half the loaf) but have just had a slice now with butter and it's absolutely awesome! Give it a go I say! I'm just contemplating going to the shop to get some more buttermilk! Thanks for sharing!

This was good, but it did not taste like traditional Irish soda bread.  The traditional verson is denser and drier.  There are no eggs either since the bread comes from a time when famine was a huge problem.   I am disappointed to say the least.

wonderful recipe.  Will definately use this one again.

This was moist, dense and sweet on the inside, crusty and hearty on the outside.  It also held together well.  Half whole-wheat flour and half all-purpose, with a teaspoon of cinnamon and a cup of raisins mixed in the batter made for an excellent flavor.  I also lessened the salt to a scant half-teaspoon and topped with crumbled brown sugar and cinnamon before putting it in the oven for 70 minutes.

I bake bread for a living. I love my job to the point that I even do it at home, I even teach others (family and friends) how to bake. Soda Bread is one of my favorite "easy" recipes to pass on and this recipe is the best. The only thing I ever change is what I add  for flavor. Sometimes I mix in raisins and caraway to give it a boost but I love it plain with jams and/or butter.

Great tasting, followed recipe to a T. I let batter sit for 30 minutes before baking. Will make when I have a stew.

This is the easiest, most delicious bread that can be made.  There may be better breads out there in the world but definetly not this low maintenance.  Just make sure to wrap in foil while it cools, otherwise, it won't be a moist and delicious as it should be. 

For all those wishing to make an authentic-style Irish soda bread, use another recipe.  Just because the recipe calls for soda and buttermilk does not make it Irish!  Too Much SUGAR!!  This is more like a sweet American biscuit bread. That said, the recipe does come out crusty and flaky, and would be good for a breakfast bread but that wasn't what I was trying to make!

This recipe was GREAT!  It was so quick and simple to make. I made it for a family St. Patrick's Day dinner and everyone loved it. It has definitely been added to my recipe collection!

Great recipe.  I didn't have an egg, so I used 1 scoop of mayonnaise and 1 scoop of sour cream, equalling 1/4 cup.  Also used craisins.  I didn't use any salt.  I microwaved the butter so it was hot when I mixed it in - giving the bread a very nice crust.  Again - a great recipe - will use it again and again ...

This turned out great--I will definitely be making it again. Note: I substituted plain yogurt for the buttermilk and it still turned out really nice.

Easy to make.  Taste so good that you didn't even need to put butter on it.  It also wasn't dry - something Soda Bread can be known for.  The key is wrapping it in the Foil and allowing it to absorb moisture overnight.    
I am totally hooked on this bread.

My family loved this bread.  It has a slightly sweet flavor and is a nice change of pace and so easy.  I don't normally have buttermilk so I just put 2 tablespoons of white vinegar in measuring cup before adding milk to bring to the 2 cups and let it stand for 5 minutes before using.

I followed the recipe exactly, and planned to take the suggestion of letting it sit for 30 minutes. Due to a personal emergency, I had to leave the house, so it actually sat for 1.5 hours before I could get back and bake it.  I baked for 65 minutes, and it turned out delicious!  Crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, not crumbly at all, with just a touch of sweetness.  Easy and delicious!

it was good, but not the same as the Soda Bread in Ireland...it was more of a cake texture...but tasty anyway

I have eaten soda bread out east and in Ireland.  This is fantastic recipe.  My two boys  9 &amp; 6 couldnt get enough of it.  The best I have ever had

Great taste and texture.  Kids and adults love it. Wonderful with fruit jam.  I will definitely make this again!

What an easy recipe.  I made a double batch the day before my party and wrapped in foil overnight.  My husband and I had a slice for breakfast and it was great!  Everyone at the party loved it.  I added 5 tablespoons of fennel seed to the double batch and the flavoring was perfect.  I liked it so much with the fennel I don't know if I will ever make it without it but I will be making this a lot.  Such an easy recipe.  Having it be a batter instead of a dough meant I had plenty of time to do other things I needed to do.  Thanks for this submission!

WOW! This is the first time I have ever made bread before, and I loved this recipe! it was sooo easy! (hint: since others mentioned that it overflows in a 9x5 pan, and thats all i have, i made a recipe and a half and used that to fill 2 9x5 pans. it worked wonderfully!)

This is an excellent soda bread.  Soft light texture and slightly sweet flavor.  I was short on time, so I baked it in jumbo muffins for 30 minutes and they came out perfect.  Each person had their own for dinner.  On another day, I made this again in jumbo muffin form, but used them for strawberry/blueberry shortcakes.  Divine!!

This is an excellent and EASY recipe.  It does not have the traditional texture of soda bread (dry like a tea biscuit) more like a quick bread texture.  I added a 1/4 cup of caraway seed and baked in mini loaves adjusting the bake time to 45 min for the mini loaves.  Very tasty and moist and the caraway gave it an excellent flavor.  However, I disagree with some reviewers, it tased great right out of the oven and great the next day.  I will make this again, thanks

I have never made soda read before,but this as easier than half the cookies I make and more fun. I put mine into a pie plate and baked it. t turned out beautiful ! It tastesperfect. Everyone LOVED it!

This is a great bread; however, it comes out different each time depending on how long you mix it.

This is the best Irish Soda Bread recipe I have made.  It is moist, flavorful and slices perfect.  The only change I made was to increase sugar to 1/2 cup (used equivalent of Splenda/Sugar blend) and added a couple sprinkles of cinnamon.  Served warm with butter. No need to look any further.

quick, easy and quite successful: I served it with a tomato salad and grilled fish, but my little one doesn't want the fish so she had cheese. The kids were enthusiastic about it, she even wanted a bit more to mop olive oil with up from her plate:-) Hubby said it tastes too sweet, so I'm glad I didn't put raisins, but I'm sure that they would be a great addition. I omitted the butter, but it didn't suffer a bit from it!

I have made this recipe for several years and love it!  We are not big fans of raisins baked in things so it suits us better than most traditional ISB recipes.  I usually make it in 3 mini loaf pans and bake it for about 40 minutes.

THIS IS THE SECOND ST. PAT'S DAY I MADE THIS BREAD. IT IS DELICIOUS. I USE A ROUND 9 INCH CAKE PAN AND BAKE FOR 70 MINUTES AND IT COMES OUT FANTASTIC. IT HAS THE ROUND APPEARANCE OF A TRADITIONAL SODA BREAD.

I added 1 T dried onion flakes, 2 tsp dill, and substituted 1 c coffee for 1 c of buttermilk.

This recipe is fantastic. I have taken it to many potlucks and I am always asked for the recipe. Do let it rest in the foil before eating it really does get better with age.

On looking over the recipe versus the picture, there was no mention of what I presume were the raisins in the picture, but not added to the recipe.

Not Irish, nor is it a Soda Bread, it's a quick breakfast style bread.  Soda bread doesn't have baking powder or sugar.  It's simply flour, baking Soda, salt and buttermilk with optional caraway.

tastes simple. not too sweet. added raisins and cinnamon. came out very tasty!

Delicious and easy to make.  Because I didn't have any buttermilk, I used sour cream. Will definitely make again.

I am not a fan of traditional Irish soda bread, despite being part Irish. It is just too dry and tasteless. Therefore, I was excited to see this recipe. Well, I've made it twice this week, and what can I say, it's a hit! I've served it with and without green food coloring and prefer the non-moldy-looking color-free version. I served it at work and it's gotten the stamp of approval from this multicultural bunch.  We don't like raisins too much but we do like moisture, so I added 3/4 cup Zante currants. Moist, sweet but not too sweet, great snacking cake!

This bread is excellent and easy to prepare.  Much different texture than traditional irish soda bread - moist and delicious!  I added caraway seeds - would be great with raisins as well.  Highly recommend this recipe.

Ok, don't get me wrong...this is really good bread.  BUT NOT traditional Irish Soda Bread.  Even my 8 year old said, "This is too fluffy, I wanted to make the heavy bread we had at the Irish restaurant."

This recipe is absolutely delicious (just don't forget the raisins about 1/2 cup)

Very delicious, especially w/ the addition of raisins! Mine turned out a bit heavier than I expected, but that was most likely my fault. As APAETH said in her review it's important to allow 30 minutes for the chemical reaction needed with quick breads. I will definitely be making this again!

Wonderful!! Super easy, I halved the recipe and baked it in a standard muffin tin, it made 12 and  the baking time was 18 min. A different, easy and tasty bread for breakfast.

Yummy!!  Very easy.  I did take the suggestion of others and added raisins.  I also added cinnamon.  My family loved it!!

I made both the Amazingly Easy Irish Soda Bread and the Irresistible Irish Soda Bread the same day.  Even though the Amazingly Easy Irish Soda Bread was good the Irresistible Irish Soda Bread won all the votes. I did not have the buttermilk so I substituted with sour cream.

This bread is very tasty and moist.  You definitely need raisins to make this bread complete.  I like my bread a bit on the dense side so I tried not to overcook it.  I baked it in a loaf pan at 350 for 1 hour and it came out perfect!  My coworkers who never had Irish Soda Bread are now a huge fan!

This was AWFUL!  It had no taste at all and I am glad I made it tonight as a test run.  I would have been mortified to serve this on St. Patrick's Day

It was good, did not put any raisins or currants in it.  I've been looking for a recipe that copycats an Irish Pub in Tacoma, WA called Paddy Coynes, this is close in flavor.  My sons like it and that is a compliment.  A bit dry compared to what I've had before but best internet recipe yet...  Will make again!

This was absolutely delicious!  So easy and so yummy.  Thanks for sharing!!

Delicious! I substituted the egg for half of a banana (mashed) and added an 1/8 cup more of sugar and raisins. I ate it with a little butter on top and it really was irresistible! I could eat it all myself!

this is the best bread i've made in yrs., i added a bag of raisins, and slightly more sugar. it came out light and fluffy like a cake. i made 2 in 4 days. so yummy

I didn't have buttermilk so I pout 2tblsp vinagar in 2cp milk for 15 mins (stir well). I put some brown sugar and cinnamon mixture on top like another reviewer suggested. Came out wonderful! I enjoyed this bread and will most likely make again. I imagine rasins (if unlike me, you like them) would be good in here too; about 1cp.

Made St Paddy's Day 2011 ...  - this is the best ever!  I added a handful or so of raisins.  After mixing I put this into a 8.5" springform pan that I had lightly buttered and lined the bottom with parchment paper..  As per someones suggestion I let it sit for half an hour before putting it into the oven.  It rose a lot in the pan and stayed high the whole time.  It was absolutely tasty, not crumbly or sodden ... had to put butter on each slice to keep it from floating away!  It went well with a glass of Guiness!  Perfect match to the corned beef dinner.  Thanks to Karin for posting it!  It is my new "heirloom" recipe!  Wish I could give it 10 stars!

I loved this bread. No idea whether or not it's "authentic" as I've never had Irish soda bread before, but I really liked it. It has a slightly sweet taste, almost like a cake or a doughnut, but not as sweet. It crumbled a lot when I tried to slice it. I served it with slices of Guinness-infused Irish cheddar and pear as a snack before dinner on St. Patrick's Day. I would definitely make this again, if not for authenticity then for taste.

My 12 year old daughter made this herself which speaks for the ease of this recipe.  All ingredients commonly found in hand with the exception of buttermilk which we substituted with plain yogurt, and had good results.  This came out of the oven-in anticipation for St. Patricks day.  It never lasted and was gone within an hour of being baked.  What a wonderful bread!  Never had it before so the texture was somewhat cakelike, slightly sweet and a pleasant surprise. Can't wait to try this recipe again with raisens, only I better make it on St. Patricks day-not the day before!   Thanks Karin!

This was my first time ever eating irish soda bread, and it was wonderful! I didn't have buttermilk so, as another reviewer suggested, I put a tablespoon of vinegar per cup of milk to substitute.  I made the bread one night, wrapped it in aluminum foil as the directions stated, and served it with corned beef and cabbage the next evening.  My husband,daughter and I all loved it!

Oh my...this is soooo good!    Many thanks Karin.

I made this today and it was great, threw in a handful of raisins.  Put some flour in my hands and put it on a cookie sheet with parchment and it came out just fine. Has a great taste.

I made this bread for my co-workers for St. Patricks Day. It was nice to try something new but I don't think I'll be making it again.

Two very important items that are traditionally in Irish Soda Bread are missing and VERY important. Raisens and Carraway seeds. Add 1 cup raisens, and  2 teaspoons carraway seeds and this will turn into a great recipe! Another option is to cook the bread in a caste iron skillet.

This is different than any other Irish soda bread I have made...in a good way though.This bread is more moist than other recipes that I've tried. I used currants instead of raisins because we like the delicate flavor and the fact that they are smaller than raisins and disperse better in the batter.I used 1 cup of winter white whole wheat flour in place of 1 cup all purpose flour. It was great and added more nutrition too. All of my family enjoyed this bread. They'd toast a slice and eat with butter or jam while warm. A real comfort food.

Used self rising flour instead of baking powder and added 1 cup of raisins.  Good stuff!

Wow! This was so easy and so good! It was perfect with the Corned Beef and Cabbage for St. Patrick's Day. Followed the recipe and will be making this one again and again. Thanks for sharing!

This was my first time making soda bread, and it turned out well.  The consistency was somewhere between cornbread and pound cake.  That may sound a little off, but I don't believe I've ever tried this before, so I'm not sure what to compare it to.  I did add 2 small boxes of raisins to the battter per other reviewers recommendations.  Mine came out really moist...I'm assuming because of the buttermilk.  I didn't have the patience to wait several hours before doing a taste test...and it was really good right out of the oven.  The rest of the loaf will have chance to "age" a bit before I try it again and I'll see how much better it tastes.  Thanks for sharing Karin.

For 3/17 I tried a neighbor's recipe for Irish soda bread and it was great - but I thought that buttermilk might give the bread a better taste. My next mistake was not using a loaf pan, as directed. I used a shallow tin, as I did last time, but apparently the buttermilk causes the bread to rise and it spilled all over the oven.  I rescued it as best I could, and it came out tasty, but somewhat crumbly. Probably due to the interruption in baking when i had to clean out the oven. So if you try it, use a deep pan! 

Excellent taste and quality. My family really, really liked it and this will be a treat for many years to come!

Well, this should be interesting.  My bread rose beautifully - even at high altitude (7220) and using 1/3 whole wheat flour; but seemed to bake pretty fast.  I divided the dough into two smaller bread pans, as one reviewer suggested.  Then I discovered - about half an hour later when I checked the bread - that I left out the melted butter!  Still tastes okay, especially with marmalade - and anyone who wants to can spread butter on it themselves.  I'm satisfied.  Since I was making this to go along with an Irish breakfast/brunch, I think it'll still be great.  I did add a splash of currants.  Next time will also add some caraway.  Ha!  Lowfat bread!

Awesome &amp; so easy!  A 5 star for sure!  I did add 1 1/2 cups of raisins &amp; baked in a round 8" baking pan (spring form works well too) I made 2 loafs (one with raisins and one without) to take to work.  Both were big hits and I was asked for the recipe by 4 co-workers. It does get better with age and is excellent toasted with butter.  Karin, thanks for a wonderful recipe!

A good, moist Irish Soda Bread. Some notes, however: 1. The photo shows raisins in the bread - there are no raisins called for in the recipe.  An inexperienced baker would not know the technique for adding raisins. 2.  My bread was done in 60 minutes. The bread was moist and wonderful.   3.  Additionally,it is great eaten shortly after baking, and does not need to be "wrapped in foil for several hours".  Just give it a little time to cool slightly. Thanks for a good recipe!

Copied a few recipes for Irish Soda Bread.  This recipe was a keeper. Everyone raves about it. The best by far.
Thank you Karin for sharing

Thi swas surprisingly good.  A hit with the whole family

This was very good and my family liked it, but I am giving it four stars because it did not taste like my idea of traditional Irish Soda bread.

Fantastic!  The bread was extremely moist and tasted delicious with dinner as well as in the morning with jam or cinnamon for breakfast.

I make this every time I cook a roast.  Hands down this is delicious, easy, and I get compliments every time it is served.  I even make it when the neighbor plows my driveway and give it as a "thank you" gift, he loves it!

Delicious!  Buttery, short, slightly sweet, very moist.  Devoured!  Easy recipe.  I used powdered buttermilk reconstituted with water; added about a 1/2 C. raisins.  Fantastic recipe.  Thank you.

This recipe makes a light and comforting cake like loaf.

I love this recipe!  I have been making it for the past 3 years and everyone always wants the recipe.  It is moister and a little sweeter than most soda breads.  Sometimes I put dried currants or cranberries for a little twist. YUMMY!

Husband loved it. I think I prefer yeast bread over soda bread, but I'm always glad when I can find a recipe he likes!

It will come out very dense if you don't  sift the dry ingredients

Absolutely Delicious!!! The best Irish Soda Bread 
recipe by far! Nice and moist and makes a nice, high loaf. I added raisins and caraway seeds and a tsp. of vanilla. My family loved it- a definite 
keeper!!!  Thank you Karin!

GREAT recipe! I've made it many times and people love it. You can cut it in thick slices and freeze them for weeks. I put the slices in the toaster till they are light golden brown and spread jam or butter on them for breakfast. I love it!! Thank you!

First time making this, won't be the last!!
Wife Loved it, me too !!

This soda bread is dense and moist, thanks to the tangy addition of buttermilk.

irresistible irish soda bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hours, 10 minutes

Total: 1 hours, 25 minutes

Servings: 5

Author : Karin Christian

Ingredients

Instructions

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