Name: Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 3 tablespoons butter; 2 eggs; 3/4 cup buttermilk; 1/2 cup raisins

This tasty recipe doesn’t have to be saved for St. Patrick’s Day. A slightly sweet quick bread that uses baking soda and powder rather than yeast for leavening, soda bread can be made start to finish in less than an hour. Try toasting slices and slathering with butter or jam for a delicious mid morning snack.

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup raisins

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar & salt
Cut in butter until mixture makes coarse crumbs.
In another bowl beat 1 egg and add raisins and buttermilk.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Turn onto a floured surface & knead 10-12 times.
Shape into a round loaf and cut an x into the top (about a quarter inch deep)
Beat second egg and brush over the surface.
Bake for 35 minutes (till golden brown)

Variations:

Substitute sour cream or soured milk for the buttermilk.
Short an egg? Brush the top with milk instead.
Substitute (or mix) currants, dried cranberries or golden raisins for/with the raisins
Add 1-2 TBS caraway seeds