Irish Soda Bread Currants Caraway (Printable Version)

Rustic soda bread enriched with currants and caraway seeds, perfect for breakfast or teatime.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
04 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 2 teaspoons caraway seeds

→ Add-ins

06 - 1 cup dried currants

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, well-shaken
08 - 1 large egg
09 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and caraway seeds until well combined.
03 - Stir in the currants, ensuring they are evenly distributed and coated with flour.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, and melted butter until smooth.
05 - Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the wet mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
06 - Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead just until it comes together, about 8–10 turns.
07 - Shape the dough into a round loaf about 2 inches high. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
08 - With a sharp knife, cut a deep X across the top of the loaf.
09 - Bake for 38–42 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. An inserted skewer should come out clean.
10 - Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • No waiting for dough to rise—this bread goes from bowl to oven in under 20 minutes flat.
  • The combination of sweet currants and aromatic caraway seeds creates this incredible flavor that keeps you coming back for just one more slice.
  • Even beginner bakers can nail this rustic loaf on the first try because soda bread forgives almost every mistake.
02 -
  • The X cut isnt just decorative—it helps the center cook through and gives the bread that traditional Irish look.
  • Undermixing is better than overmixing here, since a slightly rough dough still bakes up beautifully while overworked dough turns tough.
  • Room temperature ingredients incorporate more easily, so let your buttermilk and egg sit out while you prep everything else.
03 -
  • Use room temperature buttermilk if possible, as cold liquid can cause the butter to solidify into tiny lumps.
  • Don't skip the cooling time—slicing while hot releases too much steam and leaves you with a dry loaf.

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